Standing Strong
by arosequartz
Summary: HEY I UPDATED SOME CHAPTERS! MOSTLY CHAPTER 3! Charlotte Bann Higgins (or just Fossil) is Racetrack's twin sister. She's been with the Manhattan newsies ever since she and her brother were five. It's the year of 1899. A threat to the newsies stand, (Set during the strike). And she slowly starts to learn, that there is more to the well known Spot Conlon then he shows.
1. Charlotte Bann Higgins

**I don't own any of the original Newsies characters, but Charlotte Bann Fossil and some new ones. I also don't own the script or anything else besides what i made up.**

_Italic means thinking._

**_Bold italic means singing_**

* * *

Sixteen year old Charlotte Bann Higgins or just (Fossil), since that's what the Manhattan newsies called her, woke an hour early. She groaned and sat up, checking around the bunk room to make sure the boys were still asleep. She looked over at her twin brother Racetrack. He was snoring quietly, Fossil rolled her eyes and grabbed a piece of cloth with her, heading over to the wash room.

After a quick five minute shower, she dried herself off, put on an undergarment, and wrapped the piece of cloth she took with her to just hold her chest in place. (Not plastering her chest) since she hated corsets. She quickly snuck back to the bunk room, made sure no boy was awake yet, and put on her everyday pants, tucked in her shirt, put on a vest, dark blue suspenders, old roughed up shoes, and then put her long black hair into a side braid, tying it off with a strip of leather. last thing was a necklace, it was a key attached to a thin strip of leather. She took her hat hanging from the edge of the bed and sat on the beds edge, waiting for Mr. Kloppman to wake up the rest.

She sighed, she'd been with the boys ever since she and Race were five years old. They had abusive parents so they decided to run away. When a bunch of kidnappers tried to take'em. Jack and the other newsies saved them just in time. And that's when Fossil's life began as a newsie.

She looked over to the cracked mirror at the end of the room, she had a heart shaped face, with black hair, thin but strong, 5' 8". She had a few freckles over the bridge of her nose. She shrugged; _Well ise at least not bad lookin'. _Fossil thought, shrugging again.

She and Race looked pretty much the same, just the boy girl version of each other. The only thing that really stood out, was Fossil's auburn colored eyes, with a rim of gold around her pupil. People always said her eyes made her look powerful.

_Creak creak creak..._Fossil heard the creaking and footsteps of Mr. Kloppman and she stood up. "Mornin' Kloppman." Fossil greeted.

"Morning Fossil. Up bright and early again?"

Fossil smiled, "Every day since isa been here."

"Well ain't that grand." Mr. Kloppman exclaimed. "Boots!" He yelled and Boots head shot up, then flopped back down. "Skittery, Skittery...Skittery!"

"I didn't do it!" Skittery woke with a start.

"Wha'da mean ya didn't do it? Get up when ya have to get up!" Kloppman yelled. "Snitch! Get up! Come on everybody's sleepin'! Dey sleep sleep sleep deir life away dese kid's! Da ink is wet. Da presses are rollin'! Sell a pape! Sell a pape! Hey Cowboy. Hey Cowboy. Ya dreamin' 'bout sellin' papes? Hey hey hey!"

Jack Kelly groaned. "What's da madder with you? Get off me back. Hey go away from me. Hey!"

"Come one!" Kloppman shouted now.

"You're mad!" Jack replied.

"Hey kid!" Kloppman laughed. "Get up boy, come one come one! Carry da banner, sell da papes!"

Race yawned and got up, then looked for his cigar, which he found in Snipeshooters mouth.

Race:_** Dat's my cigar**_

Snipeshooter:**_ You'll steal anudder_**

Fossil:**_ Hey bummers we got woik to do _**Fossil added in.

Specs:** Since when did you become me mudder **Specs butt in.

Fossil: **_Ah stop your bawlin' _**Fossil sung out, amused and annoyed.

Newsies:**_ Hey, who asked you goil?!_** _Pfft! _She scowled, blowing some hair away from her face.

For some reason, Fossil felt like the room was filled with music, and since it was a great day outside, she didn't care. "Boys boys boys." She laughed, shaking her head. "Mornin'."

"Mornin' Fossil." They all grumbled.

"Come on, let's move it!" Fossil added.

She saw Mush teasing Jack about sleeping on his back, then Crutchy came over asking if he looked like he was fake walking. Jack said no as they entered the wash room. Fossil could hear the boys singing and she peeked around to see the commotion.

Mush: _**Try Bottle Alley or da harbor**_

Race:_** Try Central Park its guaranteed**_

Jack:_** Try any bank or bum or barber**_

Skittery:**_ Dey almost all knows how to read!_**

Kid Blink:**_ I smell money_**

Crutchy_**: You smell foul**_

Mush:_** Met dis goil last night**_

Crutchy:_** Ahh move ya elbow**_

Race:_** Pass da towel**_

Skittery:_** For a buck I might.**_

Fossil just laughed and grabbed the towel from Skittery, handing it to Race. "Thank's sis." Race commented.

Newsies (Including Fossil):_** Ain't it a fine life**_

_**Carryin' da banner through it all?**_

_**A mighty fine life**_

_**Carryin' da banner tough and tall**_

_**Every mornin', we goes where we wishes**_

_**We's as free as fishes**_

_**Sure beats washin' dishes**_

_**What a fine life**_

_**Carryin' da banner home-free all!**_

The newsies ran out of the lodging house and outside, smelling the cool crisp air. Running and dancing towards the newsies square. Fossil did a few no hand cartwheels before going after them. (She learned how to do that while swimming in water.)

Fossil: _**It takes a smile as sweet as butter**_

Crutchy: _**Da kind da ladies can't resist **_Fossil rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

Race: _**It takes an orphan...with a stuttah**_

Jack: _**Who**_ _**ain't afraid to use his-**_

Kid Blink: _**Fist!**_

Newsies:_** Summeh stinks and winteh's waitin'**_

_**Welcome to New York**_

_**Boy, ain't nature fascinatin'**_

_**When you'se gotta walk?**_

_**Still, it's a fine life**_

_**Carrying da banner with me chums**_

_**A mighty fine life**_

_**Blowing every nickel as it comes**_

Crutchy: **_Ise no snoozer_**

**_Sittin' makes me antsy_**

**_I likes livin' chancy_**

Fossil danced along everyone and sang too. She wasn't embarrassed to sing, she had a terrific voice.

**_Harlem tah Delancey_**

**_What a fine life_**

**_Carryin' da banner through the slums_**

Fossil looked up to find the nuns handing out breakfast for them.

**_Blessed children though you wonder lost and depraved_**

**_Jesus loves you, you shall be saved!_**

Trying to ignore the woman among them. Fossil took the bread she was handed and shared it with Race.

**_Patrick, darling_**

**_Since you left me, I am undone_**

**_Mother loves you_**

**_God save my son!_**

(Sung in counterpoint)

Race/Fossil: **_Just give me half a cup_**

Kid BlinkK: **_Somethin' to wake me up_**

Mush: **_I godda find an angle_**

Crutchy: **_I godda sell more papes_**

VARIOUS Newsies:

**_Papers is all I got_**

**_Wish I could catch a breeze_**

**_Sure hope da headline's hot_**

**_All I can catch is fleas_**

**_God help me if it's not_**

**_Somebody help me, please.._**

(End counterpoint)

NEWSIES:

**_If I hate da headline, I'll make up da headline_**

**_An' I'll say anythin' I hafta_**

**_'Cause it's two for a penny, if I take too many_**

**_Weasel just makes me eat 'em afta_**

(Sung in counterpoint)

**_1. Look! Dey're putting up da headline_**

**_Dey call Dat a headline?_**

**_I get better stories from da copper on da beat_**

**_I was gunna start with twenty but a dozen'll be plenty_**

**_Tell me, how'm I gonna make ends meet?_**

(Sung in Counterpoint)

**_2. What's it say?_**

**_Dat won't buy!_**

**_So where's your spot?_**

**_God, it's hot!_**

**_Will ya tell me how'm I gonna make ends meet?_**

(End counterpoint)

Newsies: **_We need a good assassination!_**

**_We need an earthquake or a war!_**

Snipeshooter: **_How 'bout a crooked politician?_**

Newsies: _**Hey, stupid, dat ain't news no more!**_Fossil laughed at Snipeshooter and threw her hat at his head.

**_Uptown to Grand Central Station_**

**_Down to City Hall_**

**_We improves our circulation_**

**_Walk in' til we fall!_**

(Sung in counterpoint)

**_1. Still we'll be out dere_**

**_Carryin' da banner man ta man!_**

**_Yes, we'll be out dere_**

**_Soakin' every sucker dat we can!_**

**_See da headline_**

**_Newsies on a mission_**

**_Kill da competition_**

**_Sell da next edition_**

**_While we're out there_**

**_Carryin' da banner is da..._**

**_Dey're puttin' up da headline_**

**_Dey call dat a headlin_**

**_Dat idiot who wrote it must be workin' for da Sun_**

**_Didja hear about da fire?_**

**_it killed old man Maguire!_**

**_the toll was ever higher_**

**_do I miss all da fun?_**

**_it on a Trolly_**

**_Forty-Fourth and Second_**

**_Italy's a secret_**

**_I's further than I reckoned_**

**_Near da courthouse_**

**_And da stables_**

**_Da corner someone beckoned and I..._**

"Oh no!" Fossil muttered to Race. Pointing to the Delancey brothers.

Race started to smile. Pertending to sniff the air. "Dear me! What is dat unpleasant aroma? I feah dat da sewer may have backed up durin' da night." Race joked, every newsie laughed.

"Nah, too rotten to be da sewers." Boots added.

" It must be da, Delancey brudders." Crutchy called out!

"Hiya boys!" Race said to happily.

"In da back, you lousy little shrimp!" Oscar yelled. Pushing down Snipeshooter.

"Hey stop Oscar! Yous already enough trouble!" Fossil yelled back, facing him, about to punch his nose. Jack went to help Snipeshooter up.

"It's not good to do that. Not healthy." Race said. Then added, "Easy sis, calm down." Fossil closed her eyes and counted to five.

"You shouldn't call people lousy little shrimps, Oscar, unless yous referin' to da family resemblance in ya brudda here." Jack joked, glaring.

"5-1 the Cowboys skunks 'em. Who's bettin'?" Race yelled.

"Shuddup, Race!" Fossil argued, then thought; _I can't believe, my brudder has a habbit of makin' bets!_

"Yah dat's right. It's an insult. So's dis..." Jack knocked off Morris's hat and ran for his life. But before Morris could go running, Fossil swung her hand and heard a crack from his nose.

"Tightwad!" Morris yelled to Fossil who had dodged his fist and started laughing.

Morris and Oscar ran after Jack, who had bonked into two strangers.

" What do you think your doing?" The tall guy asked.

"Runnin'!" Jack yelled out with a smile.

Newsies: (Sung in counterpoint)

_**It's a fine life**_

_**Carryin' da banner through it all**_

_**A mighty fine life**_

_**Carryin' da banner tough and tall**_

_**See da headline**_

_**Newsies on a mission**_

_**Kill da competition**_

_**Sell da next edition**_

_**What a fine life**_

_**Carryin' da banner!**_

_**you look at da headline**_

_**You call dat a headline?**_

_**I get better stories from da copper on da beat**_

_**I was gonna start with twenty but a dozen'll be plenty**_

_**Would you tell me how'm I ever gonna make ends meet**_

(Sung in counterpoint)

_**Hitched it on a Trolly**_

_**Meetcha Forty-Fourth and Second**_

_**Little Italy's a secret**_

_**Bleecker's further dan I reckoned**_

_**By da courthouse, near da stables**_

_**On da corner someone beckoned!**_

_**Go get 'em Cowboy!**_

_**You've got 'em now boy!**_

_**(End counterpoint)**_

_**NEWSIES:**_

_**Go!**_

Fossil stopped dancing, breathing hard but delighted and excited at the same time.


	2. How to Sell Papes

"Dese is for da newsies!" An employer cried out.

"Nice performance Cowboy!" Fossil congratulated Jack.

"Thanks, Fossil." He pat her shoulder.

"See ya, Cowboy!" Morris warned.

"Yous as good as dead, Cowboy!" Oscar cried out.

"Beat it ya two!" Fossil kicked Oscar in between the legs.

"Uhhhhgh!" Oscar moaned rolling around the ground.

"Fossil ya havin' to much fun, let's go."Jack grabbed Fossil's arm and directed her towards the line of newsies.

"Oi Mr. Weasel." Jack rang the bell.

"Alright', alright'! Hold your horses! I'm comin', I'm comin'!" Weisel yelled back.

"So, didja miss me Weasel? Huh, did yous miss me?" Jack said mocking sadness.

"I told ya a million toimes, da name's Weisel. Mr. Weisel to you. How many?" Weisel scolded.

"Don't rush me, I'm perusin' da merchandise Mr. Weasel. The usual." Jack finally said.

Weisel rolled his eyes. "One hundred papes for da wise guy. Next!"

Race smirked and stepped right up. "Mornin' ya honor! Listen, do me a favor, spot me fifty papes? I got a hot tip in dere fourth, ya won't waste your money." Fossil standing right next to him, rolled her eyes at her brother._ Idiot!_ She thought.

"It's a sure thin'?" Weisel asked cousiously.

"Yah. Not like last time." Race promised.

_It ain't goin' to come out in ya favor brudder. _Fossil thought silently.

"Fifty papes! Next!"

Fossil looked at Weisel dead in the eyes and snarled out, "Seventy five papes **Weasel**" She hated him, she wasn't sure but she just did. There was something about him that was just so...weasel like.

"'Kay lady, no need ta be all hoity-toity." He snarled back.

"'Ey! Ain't no one toilks ta me sister that way!" Race yelled out, trying to hold back Fossil from punching the older guy.

"Next!" Wisel cried out. Not wanting to deal with the twins.

Crutchy was next."Heya Mr. Weisel." He said cheerfully, as Fossil, Race and Jack sat down to take a quick review from the papes.

"That no-good-for-nothin' creep!" Fossil exclaimed under her breath.

"It's 'kay Fossil, just don' bodder." Race comforted, then turning to Jack, he asked, "See anythin' good dis mornin'?" He wasn't paying attention. For a little boy was standing right by him. Fossil noticed to.

"Do ya wanna sit down?" She gently asked the boy. The boy smiled and sat beside her and Jack.

The tall stranger was next up. "Twenty papers please. Thanks."

Race shook his head. "Look at dis, 'Baby Born With Two Heads'. Must be from Brooklyn." He ended jokingly.

"Don' let Spot hear dat, he'll soak ya." Fossil warned.

"So wha'? he's a great friend an all, but still arrogant as much."

"I guess yous right'." Fossil nodded.

"Hey, ya got yous lousy papes, now bea' it!" Fossil looked up to find an annoyed Weisel.

"I paid for twenty. I only got nineteen." The new newsie defended.

Wisel narrowed his eyes. "Are yous accusin' me of lyin' kid?"

"No. I just want my paper."

"He said bea' it!" Morris scowled.

Fossil stood up and was about to say something, but Jack beat her to it.

"No, it's nineteen." Jack checked. "It's nineteen, but don' worry 'bout it. It's an honest mistake. I mean, Morris here can't count to twenty with his shoes on." Jack pointed out as Morris snarled. Jack looked down to his second in command. "Hey Race, will ya spot me two bits? Anodder fifty for me friend." Jack asked. Race through another fifty at him, which he caught.

"I don't want another fifty." The stranger pointed out.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Sure ya do. Every newsie wants more papes."

"I don't. I don't want your papes. I don't take charity from anyone. I don't know you. I don't care to. Here are your papes." The stranger handed them back to a bewildered Jack.

Suddenly the little boy sitting beside Fossil stood up. "Cowboy. They call him Cowboy."

Jack smiled at him. "Ya, Ise called dat and a lot of other thin's, including Jack Kelly, which is what me mudder called me. What do dey call you kid?"

The bou spoke up. "Les, and this is my brother David. He's older."

"No kiddin'. So how old are ya Les?" Jack smirked.

"Me? Near ten." Les said.

Jack shook his head. "Near Ten. Well, dat's no good. If anyone asks, yous seven. Ya see, younger sells more papes and if woir gonna be partners, we wanna be da best." He explained.

"Wait. Who said anything about being partners?" David butt in.

"Well, yous owe him two bits righ'? Fossil pointed out. She walked to stand near Jack, showing she was on his side. "He'll consider dat an investmen'. Ya sell together, ya split 70-30?" Fossil she looked over to Jack who nodded in agreement. "Plus yous get da benefit of obsoivin' him, no charge." Fossil fixed David with a I-dare-you-ta-object sort of look.

"Ah-ha." David spoke.

" Ah-ha." Jack mocked. David frowned.

_Ugh! _Fossilthought, _He objected._

Crutches spoke up, "Yous gettin' da chance of a lifetime hea' Davey. Ya learn from Jack, ya learn from da best."

"Well, if he's the best, then how come he needs me?" David asked curiously.

"Listen, Ise don' need ya pal, but I ain't godda cute little brudder like Les here ta front for me. Wit dis kid's puss, and me God-given talent, we could move a thousand papes a week. So whad'ya say Les? You wanna sell papes wit me?" Jack looked at Les.

"Yeah!"

"So we got a deal?" Jack looked at David.

He thought about it for a bit. "Wait. It's got to be at least 50-50."

"60-40, I forget da whole thin'." Jack told him. Fossil rolled her eyes again.

David held out his hand, Jack spit on his hand first and then reached out. The newsie pulled away.

"What'sa matta?" Jack smirked.

"That's disgusting!"

Fossil laughed, even she spit on her hand too.

The newsies started moving out and calling made up head lines. "Come on brudder, we need ta get goin', or we won't be able ta sell any papes." Fossil gently pulled on Race's arm, bringing him back to focus. While Jack and David discussed something.

"Okay, hey when we start sellin', i bet i can sell more papes dan yous in ten minutes." Race challenged.

Fossil narrowed her eyes. "Deal." And spit shook his hand.

"Da name of da game is volume, Dave. Yous only took twenty papes. Why?" Jack asked.

"Bad headline."

Cowboy rolled his eyes. "Dat's da first thing you godda learn. Headlines don'sell papes, newsies sell papes. Ya know, we're what holds this town together. Without newsies, nobody knows nothing." Jack finished just as a girl hurried past them and all the boys took of their hats, making comments.

"Hey Race, stop it!" Fossil pushed his head.

"What?" Race shrugged.

"Idiot." Fossil muttered for under her breath for about the third time that day.

"Baby born with three heads!" Specs yelled out.

Fossil shook her head and shouted out a fake headline. "Burnin' fire scares and kills millions!"

* * *

**Next up will be some bonding time with the twins and Spot will finally enter the picture and spend some time with Fossil. ;)**


	3. A Change of Feelings

"Trolly strike frightens many!" Fossil yelled out a headline, stretching the truth a bit. "Well many seagulls." She added under her breath. She kept sneaking glances at Race to see how much papers he'd sold. It had been eight minutes and she had about ten papers left.

Two minutes later, with a cigar in his mouth, Race ran to where Fossil was, to see which one of them won their little competition. "Ise got three papes left, wha'da 'bout you?"

Fossil was hiding her papes behind her back, she smirked. "Two papes left! Ha!" She started twirling her last two in front of his face.

Race scowled, "You cheated, I just know it!" He protested.

"I did not!" Fossil argued.

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

Race lunged at Fossil, tickling her sides. "Did too!"

"Hey! Stop, stop!" Fossil cried out in laughter. She wiggled her way out of her brothers hands and some how managed to catch him in a headlock. "Ha! What'cha gonna do now?" She teased.

Race dropped down on his back, crushing her, and he and his sister ended up rolling on the ground, wrestling.

Fossil got trapped beneath Race, who was pinning her down by sitting on her stomach. "Beat'cha!" Race poked her.

"Now wasn't dat da most jolly scuffle ise ever seen."

Spot Conlon entered the alley, smirking. Wearing his shirt with a few top buttons open, red suspenders, pants, shoes, his cane and slingshot. His bright blue gray eyes twinkling with mischief.

_Oh gawd those eyes! _ She thought but quickly snapped out of it. "Get offa me you bonehead!" Fossil punched Race in the chest and he stumbled back quickly.

"Hiya Spot. What'cha up to?" Race said cheerfully.

"Nobbin', just watchin' ya two." Spot said shrugging.

"How long?" Fossil narrowed her eyes.

"Oh ise just walkin' alone and here i am." He said, walking a bit closer, amusement and sarcasm marred his face. He looked down at her, auburn eyes looking back at him. Her eyes always seemed to get the best of him, he inwardly admit that the eyes were her best feature.

Fossil broke the gaze, picked herself up and dusted her clothes off. "I see, don't really like da idea of Spot Conlon watchin' me." She glared at him, then added, "It's almost distoibin'."

_And creepy. _She shivered at the thought.

Spot chuckled and walked towards them. "So how dem Manhattan newsies doin'?"

The twins just shrugged. "Nobbin' really, just dat a brand new newsies...uh what's da two kids name be?" Race looked over at his sister.

She answered, "David and his little brudder Les."

The Brooklyn newsie nodded. "Are dey smart?"

"Why?" She responded, raising one eyebrow. "You gonna mess with'em or somethin'?"

Spot just shrugged, "No, just curious."

"Well da kid'll be sellin' papes in no time...faster den his older brudder." Race pointed out.

"O' Les, now dat's one adorable nine year old." Fossil added in.

"Yah, ol' Davey i think'll catch on, hopefully, but—" Race stopped mid sentence to the sound of his name being called. He turned around to see Mush jogging over.

"Hey Race! Spec's, Skittery, Boot's, and I is gonna start a game of Poker...you in?" Mush raised his eyebrows up and down. Then noticed Spot, "Hey Spot, you wanna play too?"

But Spot just shrugged, "Nah, ise got better things to be doin' right now, sorry."

Mush nodded, "Okay den, Fossil? Wha'da 'bout you?"

"Sorry," Fossil pursed her lips, "Not really in da mood, maybe later though."

"Fine with me, ya sure you can handle da king of Brooklyn alone?" Mush raised his eyebrows, teasing her.

She gave him a _really-yous-askin'-me-dat_ sort of look. "No actually i can't Mush." She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Let's go den Race." Mush went off.

"Ya'll goin' to lose!" Race cried out and ran off with Mush to win more dough.

Fossil sighed, nothing kept Race away from a game of Poker. "So, what's dis better thing ya gotta do?" She asked Brooklyn.

Spot turned to her, "Wanna get somethin' to eat at Tibbys?"

"Why?"

He shrugged, "Don't know, just thinkin' today; Hey i gotta spend some more time with me buddy Fossil."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise, "We don't get along very well Conlon. And ya know dat already."

Spot looked at her, a confused looke crossed his face. "What'cha talkin' 'bout Fossil? We always get along." He gave her his trade mark smirk.

Usually, a ton of girls would go crazy from that smirk, but Fossil wasn't fazed, she knew how dangerous the King of Brooklyn could be. "Not workin' Brooklyn. What's on yous mind, spit it out." She gave him a bored look. True; most of the time, they have gotten along. It was only those times where Spot would get to arrogant for her taste, it would drive her crazy. But he seemed to have settled down a bit, though it would flare up here and there.

"Wait like right now, you want to know what's goin' on in me head right now?" He asked her.

"Yes, not repeatin' myself."

"Isa hungry, dat's it, so do ya wanna go to Tibbys or not?" Spot was getting annoyed.

Suddenly Fossil's stomach gurgled, she smirked, "Fine, you win, let's go."

Spot smirked again and gestured towards the street, "After you..."

Fossil scoffed and walked out, but not before pointedly bumping her shoulder against him.

The corners of his mouth tipped up in a smile.

As the two newsies entered Tibbys, Spot pointed to a table and pulled out the chair for her to sit in. She laughed at his cheesiness. _Is dis a date? Spot nevah offers lunch to just any newsie. _But she quickly dismissed the thought and made herself comfortable.

Spot watched her as she tucked a piece of hair behind her braid. The first time he met Fossil, was about eight years ago.

When he hung out with Race or some of the other Manhattan boys, they would mention some things about her here and there, they always said she was real feisty and always had the nerve to butt into things that was never her business. Race always told him that Fossil was always a curious child. But she could fight and do anything as equal as any of the boy newsies. But the first time Spot met Fossil, she was still young and shy around new people, never really talking unless someone asked her a question.

Through the years, The Manhattan boys and Spot watched her grow. Spot remembered the first time she spoke to him in person.

"Spot...Spot, Spot!"

"Huh?"

Fossil shook her head. "Spot, ise been sayin' your name for a while."

"'O sorry." Spot apologized.

The girl looked at him, "You looked miles away for a sec. What'cha thinkin' 'bout?"

"O' just thinkin' 'bout da first time you talked to me poisonally." Spot said.

"Haha! How'll i evah forget." Fossil laughed, shaking her head. "I ran right into ya."

Spot chuckled, "Well it wasn't my fault. Yous da one runnin' at full speed."

She gasped in mock offense. "Well it wasn't my fault dat you were right 'round da cornar."

"Yah, den you said 'Hey watch where you's goin'! Den i said 'Watch where you's goin'!" Spot smiled.

"Dat was when we was like what...twelve or somethin' like dat." Fossil asked.

"Nah, I think we's thirteen at da most." He thought about it for a minute. "Yah it was thirteen."

"Wasn't da most friendly greetin' ise evah had." She joked.

Spot looked at her and slightly tipped his head to the side. "What?" Fossil asked.

He shook his head. "Ise just thinkin' how much you'ave grown through da years. Yous so small back den, now look at ya..." Spot drifted off a bit.

Fossil looked down and smiled in embarrassment. "Ise grown up now." She finished for him. Then added, "You grew up too."

Spot raised his eyebrows, "Yeah? Well i don't feel like it. Ya know...still feellin' like ise ten or somethin' like dat."

She nodded, "I know what yous sayin', i still feel like ise nine or ten too, don't feel like ise mentally changed or anythin'."

Fossil thought about it for a sec; Physically she went through a lot of changes when she turned twelve, that was when she first got her period. It was one of those really embarrassing moments when she was just eating lunch with the guys when suddenly, thirteen year old Skittery, had to point out that she was bleeding on her chair. She got used to it though, but it did take time.

She looked over at Spot, who was finishing up some soup that he ordered. All he'd gone through was a bunch of growth spurts, thin but real strong, and his features had gotten sharper over the past few years. Fossil could almost say that he looked handsome. _Whoah, get a grip Fossil. Fall in line, fall in line. _She thought and shook her head to clear it.

After eating, they sold there last few papers, then headed down to stand and look out over the Brooklyn bridge. Fossil's braid was out, hanging long and loose, going all the way down to her waiste. Spot who stood behind her, was playing with a few strands of her hair.

"Ise wonderin' what tomorrow'll bring." She thought out loud, while staring at the waves.

Spot froze his hand for a sec to think about it for a bit. Finally he sighed. "Don't know, but ise gotta busy schedule tomorrow."

"What'cha gotta do? Oh mighty king." She teased, she turned her head slightly to see him smile.

"Well, for starters, i gotta get Wolf back on track, been gettin' hot headed again." Spot heaved a sigh.

She nodded, Wolf was his second in command, had a reputation of loosing his temper real easily, and also wasn't very nice either. _At least Conlon's got manners, though like Wolf, looses his temper too _she thought_._

_"_Then i gotta see what da little boids are gonna be tellin' me. Which usually takes foreveh because ise gotta lot of dem." Spot continued saying. "Lastly, some of da goil newsies got beat up on da streets for tryin' to steal some food."

This sparked an interest in Fossil. "How many goil newsie do ya have?"

He smirked, "O' 'bout three, why? You wanna be one?"

She tensed up, "What no! Ise just nevah hoid of goil newsies in Brooklyn."

"Well dey're are some. I feel bad for dem though, it's a rough time for goils in Brooklyn." With a pause Spot added, "You wouldn't have a hard time fittin' in though, i think."

Fossil turned around to face him, "Well i don't plan on spendin' a bunch of time after one of ya newsies tried to rape me in an alley."

He tense up, "Who would even dare?"

She shrugged, "Not sure, but he was a bit taller den you, 'bout a foot taller actually, and he had light brown hair with some freckles, had a knife in his right side pocket...sound familiar?"

Spot nodded, "Yeah dat was Roughstone, sorry 'bout dat, i'll take care of him."

Locking her gaze with his once again, blue meeting auburn, like water and lava, so different, yet both could cause mager damage. She searched for a sign of weakness, it was almost like he didn't have one.

"Well don't hoit him too much, ya don't want him dead." Fossil reasoned.

"I won't but i will give him a soakin' he'll remember." Spot's voice was clouded with anger.

"Fine, but don't kill him."

"I won't."

There was an awkward silence, then he asked, "What 'bout you? What'cha gonna do tomorrow?"

She shrugged, "Ise guessin' da same ol' thing. Ya know, every day newsie." Spot just nodded and kept fingering her hair.

Two hours later of standing in the same spot, Spot escorted Fossil to the end of the bridge and exchanged a hug, then let go. "Bye Fossil."

Fossil looked at him smiling. "Bye Spot, thanks for da lunch. It was great." And she walked off.

As she was walking in the night, the alley ways seemed pretty quiet besides the squeaking of mice and rats, a few mewling cats. She looked at the apartments and wondered if she would ever live in one.

Suddenly someone grabbed her from behind and before she could scream, covered her mouth. She dropped down to the ground and rolled, smashing her attacker to the ground. When she finally managed to pin whoever it was, she brushed the hair out of her face and looked down.

She gasped. "Racetrack! Don't you evah scare me again! I thought ise a gonner!"

Race however was laughing his head off. "You should'ave seen your face, really sis it was priceless." Fossil punched him in the chest but he still kept laughing. "'Kay get offa me."

She got up and put her hand out, Race took it, but right after he stood up, she started punching him again. "Yous evah do dat again, and i swear, I—will—kill—ya!" The last part she made sure she punched with every word.

"Sorry, i was goin' to tell ya who it was, but you dropped and attacked me." Race apologized.

Fossil sighed and apologized. "Sorry 'bout dat."

But he just shrugged. "Nah it's okay, pretty great defendin' move, who taught ya?"

"You did."

"When?"

"Dis mornin'."

"O' right."

She sighed and walked with Race back to the lodging house. "So how was da race, real nice?"

Race shook his head in disappointment, "Ya know da tip i talked 'bout with Weasal..." Fossil nodded. "No one told da horse." And smoked his cigar.

* * *

**So please tell me what you think...is it better? Thank you.**


	4. The World Will Know

Late at night, Fossil woke up to get a glass of water, she came around the stairs to find Crutchy sitting at the end of them. "Hey yous 'kay Crutchy?"

He sighed, "Yah, just thinkin'."

Fossil gently sat down beside him. "Ya leg hurtin' again?"

Crutchy nodded, "Ya just a litte ol' cramp, dat's it."

She nodded, Crutchy fell of the statue of Pulitzer three years ago, and his leg didn't entirely heal all the way, so he forever had a crutch, earning his newsie name. "Ya want some water, ise gonna get some." Fossil asked.

"Yah thanks."

She came back with two glasses of water and sat back down beside him. He turned toward her, "Hey Fossil?"

"Hmm?"

"Wha'da ya think 'bout odder people's life here, in New York...dat aren't us."

Fossil thought about it, "I think dey're lucky to live in better conditions, but remember dat dey're always odder's, livin' even a woise life dan us newsies."

"Yah, guess yous right." Crutchy responded.

She was confused, He had never been this thoughtful before. "Why ya askin' me dis Crutchy, yous neveh been dis thoughtful before."

"I know, but tonight isa feeling like somethin' big's gonna happen tomorrow." He said deep in thought. Then added, "Not to change da subject, but i keep hearin' dat Spot Conlon brought ya on a date yesterday...is dat true?" Now he was smirking.

Fossil was dumbfounded, "Well...no, wait yah, no I don't know, maybe—wait does everyone know?"

Crutchy chuckled, "Yah pretty much."

She was shaking her head. _Dis is bad, dis is very bad!_ Fossil thought. "So everyone's hoid?"

"Yah everyone's hoid, i think someone saw ya two on da Brooklyn bridge."

She suddenly got up and silently went up the stairs. "Thanks for tellin' me Crutchy, 'night."

"'Night Fossil."

The next morning, she woke up to the same daily routine, but noticed that her necklace with the key was missing. _Must've lost it._ Fossil thought, _Aww man, i really really really liked dat necklace._ She was walking with David, Les and Jack down to where the rest of the newsies were outside the World Building.

Suddenly Kid Blink ran over, "Dey jacked up da price! Ya hear dat Jack? Ten cents a hundred! Ya know, it's bad enough dat we godda eat what we don't sell, now dey jack up da price! Can ya believe dat?

"Dis'll bust me, ise barely makin' a livin' right now." Skitters announced.

"I'll be back sleepin' on da streets." Boots added sarcastically.

Mush pointed to the headline, "It don't make no sense. I mean, all da money Pulitzer's makin', why would he gouge us?

Race scowled, "Because he's a tight wad, dat's why!"

Fossil grabbed on to him, "What are we goin' to do? We can't go back to bein' a guttersnipe,". Race looked at her and shrugged.

Jack tried calming everyone down. "Pipe down, it's just a gag. So, why da jack up Weasel?"

"Why not? It's a nice day. Why don'tcha ask Mr. Pulitzer?" Weisel retorted in a real hoity-toity voice.

"Dey can't do dis to me Jack." Kid Blink protested

"Dey can do whatever dey want. It's deir stinkin' paper." Race argued in a surrendering manner.

"It ain't fair. We got no rights at all." Boots complained.

Race still argued, "Come on, it's a rigg'd deck. Dey got all da marbles." Fossil punched him, shutting him up.

"Ow!" He cried.

"Shuddup! Stop bein' so negative!" Fossil whispered.

"'Kay sorry!" But he didn't sound very sorry.

Mush shrugged. "Jack, we got no choice, so why don't we  
get our lousy papes while dey still got some, huh?"

But Jack stopped him. "No! Nobody's goin' anywhere. Dey can't get away with dis!"

Les pushed through. "Give him some room, give him some room. Let him think." He said, (Sitting right beside him.)

"Yous not givin' him room." Fossil pointed out. But Les just shushed her. She rolled her eyes.

After a few moments, Race asked impatiently, "Ya done thinkin' yet?"

"Hey! Hey! Hey! World employees only on dis side of da gate!" Weisel yelled, making them jump a bit.

"Ahh! Shuddup Weasel!" They yelled in return.

Jack nodded, "Well, listen. One thin' for sure, if we don't sell papes, den nobody sells papes. Nobody comes through dose gates, until dey put da price back to where it was." He said, thinking.

"You mean like a strike?" David butt in.

"Yah like a strike!" Jack agreed.

"Are you out of ya mind?" Race looked flabbergasted.

"It's a good idea!" Jack cried out.

But David shook his head. "Jack, I was only joking. We can't go on strike, we don't have a union."

Jack rounded on him. "But, if we's goin' to go on strike, then were a union, right?"

David shot back. "No, we're just a bunch of angry kids with no  
money. Maybe if we got every newsie in New York, but..."

Fossil swore she saw a light suddenly appear above Jack's head. _Oh No! _She thought. "Yah, well we organize. Crutchy, yous take up for collection. We'll get da newsies of New York together." He called out.

The educated boy started walking with Jack, getting real serious. "This isn't a joke. You saw what happened to those trolley workers."

Jack turned around. "Yeah, well that's another good idea. Any newsie don't  
join with us, then we bust their heads like the trolley workers." punching his fist in his hand.

David walked in front of him. "Stop and think about this Jack. You can't just rush everybody into this"

Cowboy stopped. "Alrigh'. Let me think about it. Listen. Dave's right. Pulitzer and Hoist and all dem odder rich fellas, I mean, dey own dis city, so do dey really think a bunch of street kids like us can make any difference? Da choice has godda be yous. Are we just gonna take what dey give us, or are we gonna strike?

There were a few moments of silence.

"Strike!" Fossil looked down to little Les.

"Yah i'm in, strike!" She yelled out. Race looked at her like she was crazy, but his sister just gave him a _shut-up-or-i-will-punch-you-in-the-face_ kind of look. He sighed.

"Keep talkin' Jack, tell us what to do!" Boots encouraged him.

Jack turned to David. "Well, yu tell us wha'ta do Davey."

"Pulitzer and Hearst have to respect our rights." David told him.

Fossil rolled her eyes again and crossed her arms, even though she agreed to go on strike, and it was "his" idea, Cowboy still didn't know what to say.

Jack turned towards his gang. "Hey listen! Pulitzer and Hearst have ta respect da righ's of da  
workin' boys of New York! Well, dat worked pretty good, so what else?" He noticed people listening.

"Tell them that they can't treat us like we don't exist." David instructed.

The Cowboy jumped onto the statue behind him and before you knew it, Fossil could hear imaginary music starting up.

Jack yelled out. "Pulitzer and Hoist, dey think we're nothin'. Are we nothin'?"

"No!" All the newsies cried out.

David kept instructing, "If we stick together like the trolley workers then they can't break us up."

"Pulitzer and Hoist, dey think dey got us. Do dey got us?" Jack yelled out.

"No!"

David told him, "We're a union now, the Newsboys Union. We have to start acting like a union." David told him.

Jack started to sing: **_ Even dough we ain't got hats or badges. We're a union just by sayin' so._**

**_And da World will know!_**

Boots interrupted him, "What's ta start somebody else from sellin' our papes?"

"Well, what's wrong with dem?" Jack yelled.

Race looked at him, "Some of dem don't hea' so good!"

"Well den we'll soak 'em!"

"No! We can't beat up kids in the streets. It'll give us a bad name." David said, sounding nervous.

"Can't get any woise." Crutchy added.

Jack yelled, "What's it gonna take to stop da wagons? Are we ready?"

"Yeah!" Everyone yelled.

Except for David, "No!"

Jack: What's it gonna take to stop da scabbers? Can we do it?"

"Yeah!"

Jack: **_We'll do what we gotta do until we_**

**_Break da will of migh'y Bill and Joe!_**

Newsies: **_And da World will know_**

**_And da Journal too!_**

**_Mr. Hoist and Pulitzer_**

**_Have we got news for you!_**

**_Now da World will hea'_**

**_What we've gotta say_**

**_We've been hawkin' headlines_**

**_But we're makin' 'em today._**

**_And our ranks will grow!_**

Crutchy: **_And we'll kick deir rear! _**Everyone laughed.

Newsies: **_And da World will know dat we's been here!_**

"When da circulation bell starts ringin'

Will we hea' it?" Jack yelled out.

"No!"

Jack: **_What if da Delancey's come out swingin'_**

**_Will we hea' it?_**

"No!"

Newsies: **_When ya gotta hundred voices singin'_**

**_Who can hea' a lousy whistle blow?_**

**_And da World will know_**

**_Dat dis ain't no game_**

**_Dat we gotta ton of rotten fruit and poifect aim_**

**_So dey gave deir word_**

**_But it ain't worth beans!_**

**_Now dey're gonna see what 'stop da presses' really means_**

**_And da day has come_**

**_And da time is now_**

**_And da fear is gone_**

Boots: **_And deir name is mud!_**

Newsies: **_ And da strike is on_**

Boots: **_And I can't stand blood!_** Fossil shook her head and rolled her eyes. _Get used to it!_ She thought.

Newsies: **_And da World will.._**

Jack: **_Pulitzer may crack da whip but he won't whip us!_** Fossil and him started up the ladder to the headline board, beginning to write STRIKE across it.

Newsies: **_Pulitzer may crack da whip but he won't whip us!_**

**_And da World will know_**

**_And da World will learn_**

**_And da World will wonder how_**

**_We made da tables toin_**

**_And da World will see_**

**_Dat we had to choose_**

**_Dat da things we do today_**

**_Will be tomorrow's news_**

**_And da old will fall_**

**_And da young stand tall_**

**_And da time is now_**

**_And da winds will blow_**

**_And our ranks will grow_**

**_And grow and grow and so_**

**_Da World will feel da fire_**

**_And finally know!_**

Jack and Fossil had finished writing STRIKE and was chanting, "Strike! Strike! Strike!"

"Strike! Strike! Strike! (etc.)" The newsies joined in. Fossil had climbed down the ladder, jumped on Race's back, and pumped her fist in the air.

"We gotta get woid out to all da newsies of New York!"I need some of dose….what'dja call 'em?"

Jack turned to David.


	5. Persuading Brooklyn

David thought about it for a sec, "Ambassadors?"

"Yeah, right. Okay, ya guys, yous gotta be (ambastards)," Jack began. "And go tell da odders dat we's on strike."

"Bonehead, can't even say da damn woid right." Fossil muttered under her breath.

"Wha'da ya say?" Skittery asked her, overhearing her little comment.

"Nobbin', ya rubberneck, none of yous beeswax." Fossil glared at him, Skittery recoiled. They both turned there attention to Jack again.

Kid Blink spoke up. "Say, Jack, ise'll take Harlem"

"Yah, I got Midtown." Race yelled out. Fossil sighed, she wanted to take Midtown, but Race already chose someone else to go with him tomorrow._Typical_ She thought.

"I got da Battery, Jack." Mush announced.

Crutchy yelled out, "Hey I take da Bronx."

"Hey can I come with ya?" Fossil asked.

But Crutchy shook his head, "Nah sorry, I already chose Nimble and Sting to go with me." Fossil sighed, _Pathetic_ She thought this time, _Just real pathetic._

Jack was still calling out names. "Alrigh'. And Bumlets, and Specs and Skittery, you take Queens. Pie Eater! Snoddy! East Side! Snipeshooter, you go with 'em. So, what 'bout Brooklyn? Come on, Spot Conlon's territory. What'sa matta? Yous scared of Brooklyn?"

Fossil immediately took her hat off and pretended to dust it off, then re-did her black hair into a braid.

"Hey, we ain't scared of Brooklyn." Boots announced, but then lost some of his courage. "Spot Conlon makes us a little noivous."

"Well, he don't make me noivous. So yous and me, Boots, we'll go to Brooklyn. And Dave here can keep us company." Jack looked at Fossil who was braiding her long hair. "And maybe'll Fossil can soften 'im up," She looked up, her mouth open, like she was going to say something. "Nah cross dat, she will." Jack put his arm around her and Fossil bit her lower lip.

"Hey Fossil, I hoid Spot took ya on a date yesterday, you have a good time?" Mush teased. Every newsie started laughing.

She rounded on him. "Shuddup Mush, or when I go to Brooklyn, i might have to ask Spot Conlon himself if he can soak ya next time he sees you."

There were a bunch of "Ooohs." And "Oh she gotcha dere Mush." Or "Cat gotcha tong Mush?" Being called out as Mush looked for a comment to snap out, it never did come though. So he just stood there, humiliated.

Fossil smirked, "And dat goes for da rest of ya too, one comment..." Everyone suddenly shut up. "Dat's what I thought."

"Just as soon as you delivery our demands to Pulitzer." David turned to Jack.

Jack looked bewildered. "Me? Ta Pulitzer?"

"You're da leader, Jack."

Jack nodded and looked around. "Well, maybe the kid'll soften him up." He said while grabbing Les and opened the building doors.

The newsies cheered. "Strike! Strike! Strike! (etc.)"

"So da rumors true, Spot Conlon took ya to lunch?" Kid Blink asked.

Fossil groaned, "Yah he did, why da big news?" Her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well?" Race came up onto another side of her.

"Well what "

"Did'ja enjoy it?"

Fossil looked at him, "Race, I'm not sure if I should answer dat or not."

"Why?" Kid Blink asked.

"Blink, is it okay if I just talk to my dear brudder here'?" Blink left.

Fossil turned to her 'dear' brother and said. "Yes, actually I did enjoy it, now all ya have to do is not get over protective...'Kay?"

Race protested, "Why not, yous my sister!" She glared at him. "Okay, but if he hits or abuses you of any sorts, Ise'll soak'im."

Fossil laughed, "Okay den, but only if I say so."

Suddenly the doors opened and Jack and Les were flung out! "Well, so's ya old lady!" Jack yelled to someone inside the building. "You tell Pulitzer he needs an appointment with me!"

"Yeah!" Les boasted.

For lunch, Fossil, Jack, David, Les and a reporter named Denton all sat together at a table. Jack was telling the reporter what happened in the building.

"So dis real snooty mug says to me, 'You can't see Mr. Pulitzer.  
No one sees Mr. Pulitzer.' Real hoity-toity, you know da type?" Jack was explaining.

"Real hoity-toity." Les echoed. Fossil chuckled, she thought it was cute that Les looked up and wanted to be like Jack when he was older.

Jack continued the tale. "So dat's when I says to him, 'Listen, ise ain't in da habit of transactin' no business with office boys. Just tell him Jack Kelly's here to see him now!'

"That's when he threw us out." Les ended, sounding important.

"Does he scare you?" Denton asked Jack. "You're going up  
against the most powerful man in New York City."

"Oh yeah, look at me. I'm tremblin'." Jack mocked.

"Alright," Denton stood up, "keep me informed. I want to know everything that's going on."

Fossil was confused. "Why?" Then narrowed her eyes. "Yus not woikin' for dat son of a bitch Pulitzer are ya?"

"Nope, but the papers will get to him no matter what. But don't worry, you can trust me." Denton assured.

"Are we really an important story?" Jack asked him.

"Well, what's important? Last year I covered the war in Cuba. Charged up San Juan Hill with Col. Teddy Roosevelt. That was an important story. So, is the newsie's strike important? That all depends on you." The reporter instructed everyone.

"So my name's really gonna be in the papes?" Jack smiled.

Denton nodded, "Any objections?" he added.

Cowboy scoffed, "Not as long as ya get it right. It's Kelly, Jack Kelly. Oh, and Denton?" Making the the guy turn. "No pictuhs."

"Sure Jack." And he left.

That afternoon, Boots, Jack, David and Fossil were crossing the Brooklyn bridge.

"I've never been to Brooklyn," David said nervously. "Have you?"

Boots nodded, "I spent a month dere on night."

Fossil turned to him, "Boots, dat ain't makin' no sense, a month in one night?"

"Oh well...whateveh!"

"So what about you Fossil?" David turned to her.

She answered, "Been friends with Spot for a while, so more dan I can count."

"Hey watch dis..." Jack started, and he, Boots and Fossil leaned over the railing. "AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" they screamed, and continued walking.

"So, is this Spot Conlon really dangerous?" David asked.

Fossil just laughed, "Nah, but he can be when he wants'ta."

"Oh yah, to you i suppose." Jack teased.

"Shuddup." **(Poor Fossil, she's having a bad day)**

While walking on the docks of Brooklyn, a newsie that worked for Spot came up to Jack, blocking his path. "Goin' somewhere, Kelly?" Fossil recognized the newsie as Wolf.

Jack just went on by, like nothing happened. The others followed, but Fossil threw a glare over her shoulder.

Then another Brooklyn newsie went up, but this time blocked Fossil's pathway. She looked up, recognizing pale skin and red hair. "Let me pass Fireblaze." She said as calmly as possible, not showing any emotion but a cold stare.

"Good day to ya too Foss'" He nodded.

She didn't respond, still giving him the cold look. "Lemme pass Fireblaze."

"Of course." And stepped to the side.

_Creep! I wish Spot had nicer newsies._Fossil thought as she kept walking.

"Well, if it ain't Jack be nimble, Jack be quick."

The Manhattan newsies looked up to see Spot standing on top of a higher deck, watching them with eyes like a hawk.

"I see ya moved up in da woild, Spot." Jack spoke, walking over. "Gotta river view and everythin'."

Spot jumped down, the two newsie leaders stared at each other for a sec, then started to smile. They both spit-shook hands and nodded in respect.

"Heya Boots. How's it rollin'?" Spot turned to the young newsie.

Boots jumped over a low railing he was standing behind and reached out his hand that held a couple of marbles. "Ise gotta couple of real good shooters here."

Spot took them and aimed his slingshot. "So, Jacky-boy. Ise been hearin' things from little boids. Things from Harlem, Queens," The marble from his slingshot suddenly flew over David's head, hitting perfectly at a beer bottle that was standing on a ledge. It shattered. "All over. Dey been chirpin' in my ear." He walked forward, passing Fossil. She felt some pressure on her hand, looking down, Spot had given her a piece of paper folded in quarters, she took it.

Then she noticed something dangling from his neck. Fossil took in a sharp breath, it was her necklace with the key hanging from it. _When did-how? _Then she thought back to yesterday's afternoon, when she and him were just standing on the bridge.

**(Quick Flashback)**

_Spot gently took her braid out, letting her hair loose and start playing with a few strands of it, getting closer and closer to her neck._ **(End flashback)**

Fossil gasped.

"You okay?" Boots asked, she just nodded, her mouth slightly open. She took a glance at the little grafter, who just winked.

"Jacky-boy's newsies is playin' like dey're going on strike." Spot finished his little monologue and turned to face them again.

"Yeah, well we are." Jack told him.

"We're not playing." David spoke up, "We are going on strike."

Fossil flinched, _Wrong move, wrong move. _She thought.

The king of Brooklyn rounded on him. "Oh yeah? Yeah?" He said, getting in David's face. "What is dis, Jacky-boy? Some kind of walkin' mouth?"

Jack came up to stand beside David. "Yeah, it's a mouth. A mouth with a brain, and  
if ya got half a one, you'll listen to what he's gotta say."

"Well, we started the strike, but we can't do  
it alone." David started "So, we're talking to newsies all around the city."

"Yeah, so dey told me. But what'd dey tell you?" Spot scoffed.

David swallowed, "They're waiting to see what Spot Conlon is doing, you're the key. That Spot Conlon is the most respected and famous newsie in all of New York, and probably everywhere else." Fossil rolled her eyes, _Spot doesn't need flattery._She thought. David continued, "And if Spot Conlon joins the strike, then they join and we'll be unstoppable. So you gotta join, I mean... well, you gotta!"

Brooklyn smirked. "Yous right Jacky-boy, brains. But I got brains too, and more dan just half a one. How do I know you punks won't run da first time some goon comes at ya with a club? How do I know you got what it takes to win?"

"Because I'm tellin' ya, Spot." Jack almost pleaded.

"Dat ain't good enough Jacky-boy. Yous gotta show me." Spot told them.

The Manhattan boys sighed in defeat and started walking away. Only Fossil stayed behind. She took a few steps toward him. "How'd ya know i was comin'? She asked, looking down at the piece of paper that read; 'Open at 6:00 p.m.'.

Spot shrugged, "I just knew."

"Lemme guess, a little boid?"

"Yup, smart girl."

"Thought so."

There was silence for a bit and then she took another step closer. "Why can't ya help us Spot? Yous always been on great tearms with Manhattan, why not now?"

Fossil was now just a few inches apart from him, Spot just reached out a hand and tucked a piece of hair behind her braid. She stared back, silently challenging him. "Sorry Fossil," He dropped his hand, giving her a shrug. "But i gotta watch da safety of me newsies too."

She nodded, "I understand, yous just bein' careful. I would do dat too i guess." A slight breeze wafted onto them, she breathed in his scent, which smelled like newspaper and Brooklyn. "I just thought Spot would have enough brains to know when it's time to help Manhattan, since we helped Brooklyn with dose three battles already. Spot just looked at her. "Ya know; da battles between Bronks, Harlem and even Queens. But sleep on it tonight will ya? Remember ise part of da strike too. Just in case ya change yous mind."

"I will, don't worry." Spot assured, staring after her as she walked away, casting one last glance over her shoulder.


	6. Seize The Day

As the Manhattan newsies walked back to Pulitzer's statue, Fossil could see that Race had just won a bunch of extra money.

_Lucky duck_ she thought. wishing her life could some how correspond with Race's, _but_ _unfortunately_, she began thinking again, _my life is just dat complicated dese days, oh I wish da boys could understand da concept of **MY** life._

"Jack! So, where's Spot?" Race asked as they approached.

Cowboy shook his head, "He was concerned 'bout us not bein' serious. Ya imagine dat?"

"Well, Jack, maybe we ought to ease off a little. With out Spot and da others, dere ain't enough of us, Jack." Race added.

_Coward!_ Fossil glared at him.

"What? Don't look at me like dat." He glared back.

Mush nodded though, "Maybe we's movin' too soon. Maybe we ain't ready, ya know?"

Skittery agreed, " I definitely think we should forget 'bout it for a little while."

_All of dem are cowards! _She added.

Jack blinked. "Oh, do ya?"

"Yeah." Skittery said.

"Yah, I mean, with out Brooklyn… you know?" Race added to Skittery's concern.

Jack shook his head in disgust. "Spot was right, is dis just a game to ya guys?" Fossil gave him a look. "Besides Fossil..." He added.

The newsies murmured some uncertainties. Fossil shook her head in objection. She looked at David, mirroring her thoughts.

**(Fossil sings this in harmony with David, so just a bit higher.)**

David began singing: **_Open the gates and seize the day_**

Fossil: **_Don't be afraid and don't delay_**

Both: **_Nothin' can break us  
No one can make us  
Give ouh rights away_**

Fossil: **_Arise and seize da day!_**

David: **_Now is the time to seize the day_**

Newsies:**_ (Repeat)_**

Fossil: **_Send out da call and join da fray_**

David: **_Wrongs will be righted if we're united_**

Newsies (including David and Fossil):  
**_Let us seize da day!_**

David: **_Friends of the friendless seize the day_**

Newsies:**_ (Repeat)_**

Fossil: **_Raise up da torch and light da way_**

Newsies:**_ (Repeat)  
Proud and defian'  
We'll slay da giant  
Let us seize da day_**

**_Neighbor ta neighbor  
Fadder ta son  
One for all and all for one!_**

David: **_Open the gates and seize the day_**

Newsies:**_ (Repeat)_**

Fossil: **_Don't be afraid and don't delay_**

Newsies: **_(Repeat)_**

**_Nothin' can break us  
No one can make us  
Give our rights away  
Neighbor to neighbor  
Fadder ta son!  
One for all and all for one!_**

Then circulation bell rang out loud and clear.

"Anybody hear dat?" Jack yelled.

"No!" The newsies answered.

"So what are we gonna do 'bout it?"

"Soak 'em!"

The Manhattan newsies had a little face off with the Scabbers, but then some Scabber had the nerve to start fighting Jack, the newsies soaked 'em and the Scabbers ran away. They started tearing up newspaper, Fossil took out a knife that she took from one of the Scabbers, tearing up the papers to bits. She saw Jack start making faces and blowing raspberries at Weasel, Oscar and Morris through the distribution window. A scabber tried to punch her and she whirled around, nicked his cheek a bit and punched him.

She also saw some newsies trying to push over a delivery cart, she ran over to help, managing to knock the cart on its side. Fossil kept tearing up paper.

"Cheese it! Cheese it!" Jack suddenly yelled as whistles screeched through the air. "Its da bulls!"

Everyone heard, except Crutchy.

"Crutchy! Scram! Scram!" Race yelled and then continued to run.

Crutchy looked up and started hobbling away, but he was suddenly blocked off by some bulls and he turned to find the Delancey brothers. "Oh hey'a guys—hey ow ow ow!" He started saying, but Oscar had knocked his crutch from under him, then he and his brother dragged him away.

Fossil, witnessing this gasped. She started running towards where Crutchy was being dragged. "Crutchy!" She cried out. "Hey let go of him! Crutchy!"

Suddenly a pair of arms was around her. "Stop sis! Ya wanna end up in dat refuge too?" Race exclaimed.

"Let go of me Race! Lemme go!" She managed to struggle free and run a few steps when Jack lunged and knocked her down.

"Come on Fossil, ain't nobody can help him now! Lets go!" He tried reasoning.

"But deir hurtin' him Jack! Da Delancey brudders just dragged him off!" Fossil kept struggling until the fight started draining out of her.

When the newsies finally swarmed into their lodging house, they immediately went to the living room. All there was, was a little love seat, a couch, little rug and a fireplace.

Fossil sat down on one side of the couch and sighed, exhausted. There were a few minutes of total silence, then she spoke up. "What happens now Cowboy? How'll ya get Crutchy out of refuge?"

Jack shrugged, "Davey and I will go and see if we can get him out, but I'm gonna need to have me rope, and bag...can ya hand'em to me?"

Mush reached around and grabbed Jacks rope and bag from behind him and handed it over.

"Thanks, come on Davey, we's gonna go break Crutchy from my home sweet home.." Jack stood up, pulling David with him.

And off the two went with a few words of "Good luck!"

Fossil took out the pocket knife she took from one of the Scabbers.

"Where'd ya get dat?" Skittery asked.

"Took it from one of da Scabbers." She said.

"Don't hurt us." Les warned.

She smiled, "I wont i promise, but ise goin' to keep it."

Fossil pat her left front pocket and felt something in it, she took it out, gasped. It was the paper that Spot had given her. "Oh damn it, i forgot!" She looked at the folded paper that wrote 'Open at 6:00 p.m.'. "Hey what time is it?"

Snipeshooter, who was sitting next to her looked at his battered up old watch that someone had given him. "Five to six...Why?"

She shrugged, "Just wonderin'"

Suddenly Les snatched the paper away from her hand. "What is this?" Les asked.

Fossil panicked, "Eh! Give dat back Les!" But instead of giving it back, he just opened it up. "Don' read it Les!"

...He did.

Fossil tried to grab it from him, who kept dodging her hands.

He read out, "Meet me at the edge of Brooklyn bridge, i'm gonna show you something."

Then Race grabbed the paper. "No!" Fossil exclaimed.

"It's gonna be at da docks where us newsies hang out." Race read out. "I promise it wont be dissapointin', signed...Hey wait a minute, dere's no name!"

Fossil sighed and grabbed it from her brothers hand. "I'll take dat back thank you very much!"

"Who's it from Fossil?" Snitch asked.

"No one." Fossil snapped, "But i gotta get to Brooklyn."

"Ooooh!" Some of them called out and whistled.

She ran out the door with one thought in her head. _Dose newsies have no clue!_


	7. Swimming By The Brooklyn Docks

Fossil ran down to the Brooklyn bridge, stopping where the end of the bridge met Brooklyn territory. She looked around for Spot, then deciding it was a silly notion for some reason, she rest her elbows on the ledge and looked out to the sea.

"I see ya finally made it." A voice said in her ear.

She spun around to find Spot wearing his signature smirk. "Don't do dat!"_  
_

"Sorry, just wanted to have a little fun." He shrugged.

"You have enough fun all day! Well ya got me anyway." Fossil said irritated. "So wha'da ya wanna show me?"

"Well, it's not exactly showin' ya, more like doin'." Spot said slowly.

She raised an eyebrow, "What's dat?"

"Yous wearin' your cloth?" He said with a sly smile.

Fossil froze, feeling blush rise to her face. "How—what—when—huh?" Then all she could say was "Poivert."

Spot put his hands up in surrender. "Hey, anyone can see when yous just wearin' ya white thin newsie shirt...I didn't mean to...But i must admit, it is temptin'" He babbled on even though she was giving him a death glare. "Don't look at me like dat." He protested.

She relaxed but eyed him carefully. "When did ya know?"

He shrugged again, "Four years ago, more or less."

"Yous da only one?"

"Nah, I think every newsie knows dat already."

She nodded, looking away, not meeting his eyes, "Oh." _DIS IS EXTREMELY AWKWARD! _Her mind screamed, but she didn't say anything else.

"Ya still didn't answer me question." Spot raised his eyebrows.

Fossil mustered up her courage to finally look back at him. "Yes...I do...Why?"

"We's goin' swimmin'" He revealed.

She finally understood. "Oh dat's why." The King of Brooklyn nodded. "Yah swimmin' is fine...i guess."

Spot smiled, he actually smiled. And they both walked over to the docks of Brooklyn.

When the two got down there, Spot grabbed some towels, then they both sat down on one of the docks, turned around facing the opposite direction and took of there shirts, suspenders, **(Most of the time, the suspenders were just the fashion for newsies back then...i'm serious). **Shoes, hat's, left there pants on, and then turned back.

Before Spot could see, Fossil took her long braid out so that her black hair covered her whole back, slipped off the dock and into the water. "Gawd! It's incredibly hot out since it's summer, and da water is still freezin' cold!"

"Really? I barely even notice wheneva' i go swimmin'." Spot replied, standing up. Fossil backed off a little and Spot jumped in, then came back up smoothing his hair out from his face. They both laughed.

She took a few dunks to get used to the cold and started swimming away out from the docks so they weren't that close. He followed suit.

Fossil did a few perfect back somersaults just for the heck of it, since it's how she learned to do a few tricks on the ground.

When she came back up, Spot unexpectedly splashed her. "Hey be nice for a change will ya?" She scowled even though she was laughing.

He shook his head, "Since when has The King of Brooklyn been nice to anyone?" Playing along with her joke.

"Oh i don't know...me?" Fossil splashed him, then immediately went under water when he splashed back.

She swam a bit away from him, then poked her head up to see him looking around for her. Fossil then went back under water, swimming toward him this time, appearing behind him and unexpectedly pushed Spot down under the water.

They both struggled a bit, until Spot finally managed to get a way from her grasp and appear back up, spitting out water. Fossil appeared before him and immediately started laughing.

"Dat ain't bein' lady like now are ya?" Spot laughed out and started splashing her again. She screeched and started splashing back, unbeknownst to her that Spot was getting closer and closer until he grabbed a hold of her arms, pinning them to her side. Fossil suddenly realized how close he was, she could literally feel the heat coming off of him. She looked up to find Spot smirk, most likely knowing what she was experiencing.

A sudden thought came to her head. "Will someone see us?" Fossil asked.

He chuckled, "Nah, ain't nobody comes out here at dis time of day, or should i say evenin'."

She looked around, sure enough, day time had passed but it wasn't exactly night yet, but the sky was beginning to darken. "We's been out here for a while."

Spot laughed, "I guess we have."

Fossil looked back at him, then down to his chest where her necklace dangled. "Ya know...Dat's mine."

"Yes and isa intendin' to keep it." Spot replied stubbornly, smiling.

"But i wannit back." She complained poking him.

"It reminds me of you." He answered honestly.

Fossil looked up at him and then sighed in defeat. "Fine den, keep it, but if ya loose it i swear to god...i'll beat ya from here to Queens."

He put his right hand up, "I wont loose it." Spot was smiling.

She got serious and stepped a bit closer, trying hard not to notice that he was wet, the water dripping from his hair to his shoulder, then would slide down..._Woah Fossil! GET A GRIP OF YOUS SELF! _Fossil's mind screamed. She cleared her head, then looked up at him. "Will ya join da strike? I know ya just wanna protect yous newsies, but today, while trashin' and tearin' up papes, da bulls came outta no where and put Crutchy in refuge, will ya please join, please help us?"

Spot stared back at her for a while until finally saying, "I don't know, but i'll send a boid out to see what's happenin'." He saw the scowl on her face and quickly continued. "But don'cha worry, you can tell da odders dat dey got a boid watchin' dem."

"Fine, who will ya send?" Fossil asked curiously.

"How 'bout Speed?" Spot suggested. She nodded in agreement, Speed was a young newsie, short, about the age of eleven and was the fastest newsie ever known.

""Kay, but where will _you_ be? Where will ya be in all dis mess?" Fossil was getting annoyed that Spot wasn't putting himself out there too. _He's almost a coward like da rest of dem! _She thought.

Understanding her annoyance, he quickly explained. "Ise gonna be close by in Manhattan, so if ya have any trouble, Brooklyn will be dere...promise." Spot was being so honest now he could hardly believe it himself.

But Fossil seemed satisfied. "Deal." And spit shook his hand. "We should head back."

Spot nodded in agreement and they swam back to the docks, climbed out and dried off as mush as possible, put back on there clothes, then Spot escorted her back to the bridge.

"Don't worry Spot, i can go by meself next time." She told him.

"Ya don't know what happens in Brooklyn in da night, and it ain't poitty." Spot warned her. She just sighed, _man this is goin' to get mighty annoyin' soon._

"See ya soon Fossil."

"Bye Brooklyn, see ya soon too." Fossil suddenly kissed him on the cheek then backed away. But the look on Spots face was delighted surprise. Blushing, she slowly walked away, back to her lodging house.


	8. Dangerous Scuffle

Fossil walked to the market, seeing if she could snatch some food. _Isa starvin'!_ She thought.

When she entered the market, a girl with light brown hair half up, was walking towards her with a bag of food. Suddenly the girl sort of stumbled and everything tumbled out. "Oh darn it!" Fossil heard the girl cry out.

She walked over, and started helping the girl pick up her food. When she put them back in the bag, the girl introduced herself. "Thanks for helping me, I'm Sarah."

Fossil was surprised that the girl spoke in that educational way. _Well she must be educated then._ She thought and shook hands with Sarah. "Hi, me names Charlotte, but da newsies call me Fossil."

Sarah raid her eyebrows, "Do you live with the Manhattan newsies?"

"Yah why?" Fossil asked her.

"Well my brother David supposedly hangs out with you newsies right?" Sarah asked.

"Oh ya mean David Jacobs?" Fossil asked, Sarah nodded. "So yous his sister?"

"Yup, his friend Jack sometimes likes to hang out at our house." Sarah told her.

Fossil was a bit taken aback. "Wait, Cowboy hangs out wit ya guys?"

Sarah smiled, "Yeah, sometimes he stays for dinner."

The girl newsie laughed. "Well I guess dat explaines all da sudden disappearances from Jack."

"What do you know about Jack?" Sarah asked her curiously.

"Why? Do ya like him or somethin'?" Fossil asked her.

"Well, maybe, but I think he might like me back." Sarah cautiously spoke.

"Well," Fossil started, "Does he sorta stare at ya when he thinks yous not lookin'?"

"I don't know, maybe, I think. I've caught him once or twice." Sarah answered.

"And does he brin' up random convoisations sometimes ta just talk ta ya?" Fossil asked.

Sarah laughed, "Yeah he does, a lot actually."

The newsie smiled, "Den he likes yah alrigh'. I know dis cause he liked some goil at a restaurant one time and tried talkin' ta hoi, sorta funny."

Sarah laughed and shook Fossils hand again, "Well it was nice to finally meet you, sometimes Jack or my brother would talk about you, they never say anything bad."

"It was a nice talkin' ta ya too Sarah. See'ya around sometime?" Fossil asked her.

Sarah smiled and nodded, "Yup, maybe."

And they parted in opposite directions.

Fossil quickly ran back to the lodging house. Her hair was still sopping wet, making her hat damp. And even though she tried her best to dry off with the towel that Spot let her use, her pants were still damp. The only thing that was dry, was the knife hanging from a loop hole where the waist band of her pants were.

When she got to the lodging house, everyone had supposedly gone up to bed. She walked up stairs, leaving behind little puddles of water on each step she took.

"Hey!" Kloppman cried out, looking around. "Why's there water on the floor?"

Fossil ran before Kloppman saw her, then got to the bunk room, swung open the door and...the boys were still up chatting away. They all fell silent as Fossil stood in the door way.

"Why yous all wet?" Race came over and looked at her closely.

"It was rainin' outside." She lied.

Skittery looked out the window, "Nope, no rain, no damp roads, nubbin'." He commented.

Fossil sighed, knowing she'll have to tell them no matter what, or they'll keep bugging her. "Fine, i went swimmin' with Spot."

Everyone gaped at her, "By da Brooklyn docks." She added.

"Yous did what?" Snitch asked her.

"And dats why ya went runnin' dis evenin'?" Kid Blink asked her.

"Woah woah woah," Mush started and went up to her. "Yous tellin' us dat ya went swimmin'?"

"Yup."

"By da Brooklyn docks?"

"Yup."

"With Spot Conlon?"

"Yup."

"Ya serious?"

"Well what do you expect, Isa makin' dis up?" Fossil snapped, she was actually getting sort of irritated. She hated being vulnerable in front of them.

"Okay sorry." Mush held up his hands in surrender.

"Just please drop da idea." She started.

"Did you have fun?" Les piped up.

She grit her teeth, "Yes I did, now please let da idea go!"

"Sorry." Les apologized.

There was a few moments of silence. Fossil went over to her bed and sat down. "Did Davey and Cowboy get back yet?" She asked.

"Yah we's back." Jack came up to the door frame.

"And Crutchy?" Fossil asked. Everyone leaned in, curious for the answer.

But Jack shook his head in defeat. "I think da Delancey brudders hoit him, not bad just a bit. But enough so dat he couldn't try ta escape."

"Sorry boys, maybe next time." David added.

Everyone was silent for a few minutes. That's when Jack took a double take on Fossil. "Why ya all wet?"

"She went swimmin' down by da Brooklyn docks...with Spot." Mush face spread into an evil smiled.

"Dat ain't your business to share Mush!" Fossil rounded on him again.

Jack was trying not to laugh. "And did'ya have fun?"

She grit her teeth again. "Yes i did now drop it." She was getting tired of all the teasing.

The next morning, Fossil woke up an hour early as usual, washed up, put on her regular everyday newsie clothes and was about to do her hair when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She noticed her black hair fell all the way down to her waist, just below her elbows. Her hair was in waves from having it in a braid all the time, and it looked tangled. With split ends and everything was just sort of off._ When's da last time I brushed me hair?_ She questioned herself. _Of course Isa neveh gotta cut too._ She added. Pushing the thoughts a side, she grabbed some random boys brush and tried her best to brush away all the snarls and tangles out. At the end she just gave up and put it back in a side braid, then put on her hat and shoes.

She looked at the time; 7:00. She sighed, "Isa guessin' Kloppman's real tired dis mornin'." And decided to wake up the boys herself.

The first was Race, "Mornin' brudder, have a nice sleep?" She said and threw the covers off.

"Hey! It's freezin', can't ya see ise sleepin'?" Race grumbled and tried to pull the covers back up, the only problem was, his sister had thrown the covers to the ground. Being lazy, he thought it was too much work, so he decided to get up.

"Come on Snipshooter, get up and goin'!" Fossil shook his shoulder, only getting a grunt from him. "Or isa goin' to let Race know ya stole his cigar." She threatened quietly. Snipeshooter sat up and jumped out of bed.

"Snitch! Snitch! Come on ya'll! It's mornin! Da suns up, we don't need to sell papes no more!" Fossil yield out so every boy could hear her.

Everyone started to wake up and clear their head, everyone but Jack and Mush.

Fossil went over to Jack first and threw his covers off. "Hey, yous mad! Crazy!" He exclaimed. Then dropped his head back down.

She thought about it for a sec. "Youknow, imma tell Davey and Les dat yous like his sister if ya don't get up."

Jack bolted up right. "How'da ya know dat, you don't even know Sarah!"

Fossil laughed, "Oh last night after swimmin' I bonked into her while commin' back. She was buyin' some stuff at da market and she dropped her things, so I helped."

Jack looked at her warily, "Were ya gonna really tell 'em?"

"Yes. Now geddup!"

Jack groaned and went to the wash room.

Fossil finally came over to Mush. "Geddup geddup geddup it's mornin'!" She punched his arm. Getting nothing but a grunt. "Fine, be like dat." She pouted.

Walking to the wash room, she got a glass of water, came back to the edge of Mush's bed and...Splash! All over his head. "Ahhh!" Mush gasped and sat up.

"Dat's for last night, for embarrassin' me." Fossil smiled.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Isa gettin' it!" Skittery called out. He quickly put on his clothes then headed down to the door.

_I wonder who dat is?_ Fossil thought. But her answer came as a cry came up from downstairs. "Please, don't hoit me! I just wanna talk with Fossil!" The person cried out.

On hearing her name, Fossil bounded down the stairs...To find a newsie stuck in Skittery's head lock. _Oh it's Speed!_ She realized.

"Let him go Skittery!" Fossil demanded. "It's a boid from Brooklyn."

"Sorry, I thought he was just askin' for trouble, sayin' he wanted to just see you Fossil." Skittery let go and backed off.

"How'da ya do Speed, long time no see." She walked over to the real young little boid and pat his shoulder.

"Oh Isa fine now, thanks." Speed smiled, Fossil noticed he had lost a front tooth. **(Okay that's adorable.)**

Noticing that the other newsies had gathered around them, She decided to say what was going on. "Dis is Speed, a young boid, workin' for Spot. Speed will come get him if dere's any trouble and we need help." She then explained her conversation she had with Spot to them.

"Okay, I don't really like dat Spot thinks were gonna need help, but nice to have ya here Speed." Jack shook the little boids hand.

As the gang walked to City Hall, Speed caught up to Fossil. "Thanks for savin' me butt back dere."

She laughed, "Anytime Speed."

He started smiling. "Ya know, Spot talks 'bout ya sometimes, always says yous real nice and tough. And poitty."

Fossil raised her eyebrow at him. "Really?" The little boid nodded. "Well dats nice of him." Speed smiled again then jumped on her back, getting a piggy back ride all the way to their destination.

"We gotta do somethin' ta get Pulitzer's attention." Jack suggested when they got to City Hall. Looking for ideas.

"We could dance." Skittery suggested. Everyone looked at him like he was stupid. "What? It's a great idea."

Jack was looking thoughtful, "Dats actually notta bad idea."

People looked at him like he had gone mad. "Oh come on now!"

Fossil spoke up. "We all know dat we have'ta do somethin' unexpected. Do newsies sell papes? Yah. Do newsies dance? No. See, unexpected. Plus, we've been singin' an awful lot lately." She pointed out. All the other newsies started agreeing.

"Den dat settles it, Skittery, yous da best dancer here, wha'da ya want us to do?" Jack said, turning to the newsie.

After about thirty minutes, they finally all got the dancing down, Fossil threw some rocks at Pulitzers window. When Pulitzer opened it, they started singing.

_**Open da gates and seize da day**_

_**Don't be afraid and don't delay**_

_**Nothin' can break us**_

_**No one can make us**_

_**Give are rights away**_

_**Arise and seize da** **day**_

They started dancing, Fossil had to admit, she had never really felt this free in her entire life. It felt great to finally do something that cleared her mind a bit.

At the end, they linked arms and blocked the entrance to the gates. When they opened, a cart came out lead by a horse, but behind them, were Scabbers.

"Alright." David spoke, "Everyone remain calm."

But Jack disregarded. "Let's soak 'em for Crutchy!"

The newsies ran at the Scabbers, they retreated back to the fence. _Dat was fast_ Fossil thought. But she soon figured out why.

A bunch of big guys with clubs and chaines surrounded them. _It's a trap!_ Her brain was on red alert.

"Jack! Jack!" She heard Race yell out. "Da Crib! Da Crib!"

Fossil turned to the little Brooklyn newsie. "Speed! Go! Get Spot whereveh he is, we's gonna need him." And Zoom! Speed was off before you could say 'Jack Robinson'.

She took out her blade and turned to find some big guy with a stick. He swung, Fossil dodged it and swung, managing to nick the guy on the ear. This pissed the guy off and he lunged. Grabbing her arm and tried to hit her, she ducked and turned so she was behind him, but he followed, getting her in a headlock. _Oh no!_ Her mind whirled. She struggled as hard as she could, but she couldn't get out from his grasp. She even tried using her elbow to hit him in the groin, but he seemed to be expecting it anyway. The guy took her knife, holding it at her throat. _No!_ Her mind screamed.

Suddenly the big guy let go, feeling the back of his head. _Something hit him,_ Fossil thought. She looked down at the ground to see a marble rolling at her feet.

"Neveh feah, Brooklyn is he'h!"

Fossil looked up to find Spot and his newsies standing on ledges or fire escapes, looking out on what was happening below them.

_I bet King of Brooklyn rehearsed dat line a hundred times last night._ She thought and shook her head. _But dats Spot, arrogant with pride and confidence, a bit intimidating too_ Fossil ended her thought and ducked just in time, for the guys arm swung at her again.

"It's Brooklyn!" Mush shouted.

It suddenly seemed as if all the newsies had extra strength flowing through their limbs. All because of one Brooklyn newsie. He and the rest of his boys started firing rocks and marbles at any Scabber or big guy with weapons.

Fossil looked for her brother to make sure he was alright. She saw Race throw his hands up in the air. "Hey, I give up. Alrigh', alrigh'. I give up." Then he kicked the guy you know where.

Fossil laughed.

_Creeaakk!_ She knew that ment the doors have opened. She turned back to some other guys and started punching them, then ran after them. All the newsies surged threw the gates, lead by Spot, pushing the bigger men and Scabbers back to the side they came from.

When the fight was over, Fossil just stood there, catching her breath.

Suddenly she was back in a head lock with the knife lightly pressed against her throat. She gasped, struggling. _Wait a minute,_ she thought. _Pressed lightly?_

"I believe dis belongs to ya?" Spot whispered in her ear.

Fossil slowly but firmly grabbed the arm around her neck while gently taking her knife back. "Very funny Conlon. Ha ha." She mocked while attaching the knife back to her side, then turned around to wrap her arms around his neck. That's when she noticed he wasn't wearing his hat. He had light brown hair with a few natural highlights from the sun, making his hair look a tinge bit lighter.

Spot wrapped his arms around her waist as she dug her hands in his hair at the back of his neck and the two just stared at each other for a sec. Finding all the little specs of dirt on each others faces from the fight they just had.

"Aww stop it ya two," Kid Blink interrupted their moment. "We's celebratin' over here!"

Fossil slightly laughed and said, "Come on, were gonna be left out."

As they walked to the rest, Spot asked, "Oh Fossil, I proved to ya dat Ise involved with da strike right?" He warily asked, giving her a side ways glance.

"Yah you did." Came the answer.

The two found Jack and his newsies all gathered around in one place, laughing and having a great time. "Heya Spot! Get ovar here!" Jack called to him.

Spot looked at Fossil and she nodded. He jogged over to the Manhattan newsies, getting pats on the back and congratulated. Fossil, who was just a few steps behind, came up and Skittery gave her a high five, while Race gave her a noogie. (She gave it right back.)

"Jack! Boys! Girl!" Denton yelled behind a camera. "Freeze! Freeze!"

"Alright guys." Jack announced

Fossil wasn't ready for the flash of the camera as it blinded her for a sec. Then she started cheering again.


	9. King Of New York

**I am so sorry for not updating for a while, i had writers block for a second and my mom kept using the computer. I really hope you enjoyed these new chapters.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, besides my own characters.**

* * *

Then next morning, while Fossil was walking around by herself, Race decided to be proactive, jogging over to tell her something. "Hey'a Fossil? Can I talk to ya?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Well," Race started out carefully. "Ya know dat Spot's reputation is mean, dangerous, and sorta a womanizer right?"

Fossil stopped walking, slowly turning to her brother, raising one eyebrow. "Yah I know dat...Why?"

Race shrugged, "Well Isa just worried 'bout you...ya know, just tellin'."

The truth was, Fossil had thought about that for a few days, not really knowing what to make of it, but she just tried to erase the thoughts from her mind to avoid any awkward confrontation. Unfortunately, and worse, her 'dear' brother had to come up with the topic.

"Okay, I admit, been thinkin' 'bout dat for a while, but I don't really know what to make of it?" Fossil sighed, looking at Race.

He thought about it for a bit. "Well I think you should talk to him 'bout it, sorta coax him out of it."

"When would be a good time?"

"Dis noon when we's all goin' to Tibbys for lunch." He told her. "When most guys are relaxed and in control."

Fossil nodded her head slowly, deep in thought. "'Kay, i'll do dat."

She and Race decided to go to the fountain and splash little children for fun, just to pass the morning time, then went over to Tibbys for lunch.

When the two opened the doors, the Brooklyn newsies were already eating. _As usual_ Fossil thought. She spotted the King of Brooklyn with his hat off again, sitting by Fireblaze and Wolf, two other newsies she recognized were named Jinx and another one called Steal. Then there was little Speed, yapping about what he saw or heard in the streets of New York.

As Fossil started walking towards them, they burst into laughter, something Speed said must have been funny. "Hey'a Fossil, li'l Speed here was just tellin' us how a Harlem newsies got beat up by a goil newsie from Queens." Steal told her as she got to their table.

"Amusin', did da goil get him good?" Fossil asked.

"Real good," Speed laughed, "Foist he started to taunt her 'bout how goil's weren't cut out to be newsies, da next moment he was lyin' on his back, with a bloody nose."

"Sounds painful." Fossil smirked, then turned towards Spot. "Hey'a can I talk to you?"

"Ooooooooooh." The Brooklyn newsies at his table muttered.

He glared at them, then looked at her for a second, "What's up Fossil?"

"Privately..."

"Sure."

"Ooooooooooh." The newsies muttered again as the two walked away.

She brought him over to the corner of the restaurant, looked around to make sure no one was listening, then took a deep breath, "Well...Isa not sure if dis is true, but ya know how yous reputation is—"

But Spot cut her off, "Oh I know what dis is about. Your worried dat i'll cheat on ya."

"Well yah...have you?" She asked warily.

"No," Spot looked her in the eyes, which were a shade of dark brown, but up close, he noticed some green and blue specs in them too. "I promise, I won't evah two time ya. Yous to special...Yes, Ise cheated on odder goils, but dey weren't even newsies, plus, I was young, and just thought dat it was a game."

"Dat was only last year Spot, yous still young, both of us is." Fossil pointed out, her voice stern. "But we's actually growin' up for real dis time. So time to stop messin' around."

Spot thought, then nodded. "I guess yous right."

"So, ya haven't really...ya know...done it yet?" She was very, very careful at this point, heading caution.

Spot looked taken aback for a sec, the sighed. "Yah, last year, but I was drunk?" He looked at Fossil, who was nodding her head slowly.

"Okay..."

"But most of da rumors ain't true at all, most of dem is lies." Spot rushed, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Look, I really like ya Fossil, I do."

"I like you too...But can ya promise me somethin'." She asked him, she put one hand on the back of his head, massaging gently. Spot, without removing his hands from her shoulders nodded his head. "Sometime before da strike ends, if it evah does, will you somehow show me dat Isa actually special to ya?"

"Wait, what are ya takin' bout." Spot was confused. His head was racing, though mostly because Fossil's hand that was massaging his scalp was making it hard to focus.

"I wont hang out with you for a bit, of course I'll still talk to ya and...well be friends. Until yous can prove to me..."Fossil tried to explain this as clearly as possible.

"But, Isa not jokin'—" Spot started, gripping her shoulders harder, but she cut him off, gently pressing her head to his.

"Actions are bigger dan woids."

Spot sighed, "I promise."

She hugged him, "Don't lemme down Brooklyn." And let go, giving Spot a sad smile.

'Brooklyn' went back to his table, "What was dat 'bout?" Fireblaze asked.

Spot shrugged, "Nubbin', just asked for somethin', dats it." And the boys continued chatting away. But Spot couldn't get Fossil's words out of his mind. How was he going to prove it?

Fossil went to Race's table and sat beside him. Specs, Skittery, and Les were sitting with him. "So I told Spot..."

Race raised his eyebrows, "Well, whad'ya say?"

She shrugged, "Oh just dis deal dat i made, dats it."

"Did he take it well?"

"Umm, i guess.".And they continued talking about the day and eating their lunch.

Suddenly the door to Tibbys opened, and Denton walked in with a newspaper in his hand.

"Hey fellas. Hey, hey! Big time." He announced, then flopped down the paper in front of Jack.

Everyone crowded around him.

"What yous got dere Jack?" Boots asked.

Spot went right behind Jack, looking over his shoulder. "Where's me pictuhe? Where's me pictuhe?" He cried jumping up and down a bit.

"What's dat?" Boots asked again. "Dat all 'bout us?"

Fossil scooted up closer to the front, recognizing a picture of all the Manhattan newsies, with a few Brooklyn ones too.

"Look at dat Jack." Mush pointed out with his fingers. "You look like a gentlemen."

"Will ya get yous fingers off me face?" Jack said and brushed at Mush's fingers.

"Hey look at ya Fossil!" Skittery pointed out. "You look like a doll."

She rolled her eyes, "Haha very funny." Actually...her eyes were closed in the picture, she was surprised by the flash. Actually, everyone looked awkward, besides Jack.

"Where does it say my name? Where's my name!" Spot cried out again.

"Will ya quit thinkin' 'bout youself?" Jack argued.

_Poor Spot,_ Fossil thought shaking her head. _Always lookin' for his name somewhere in da papes._

David smiled at Denton. "You got us on the front page!"

"You got yourselves on the front page." He responded. "I just got to make sure you stay there."

"So what." Skittery mentioned. "Ya get yous picture in da papes, so what's dat get ya huh?"

"Wha'da ya talkin' 'bout?" Mush asked.

"Shut up, boy." Jack snapped. "Yous been in a bad mood all day!"

"Ise not in a bad mood!" Skittery retorted.

"Yous Glum and dumb." Race commented, pushing Skittery's face, making his head bonk into Mush. "What's da matta with ya?" Ya get your picture in da papes, your famous. Yous famous, ya get anythin' ya want. An' dats what so great 'bout New York!" He finished, slamming his hand down on a table.

Suddenly everyone started imagining what they would all want if they were famous.

Mush: _**A pair of new shoes with matchin' laces.**_

Race: **_A permanent box at Sheepshed Races._**

Spot: **_A porcelain tub with boilin' wateh._**

Fossil (On a table): _**A night with da one dat yous desira.** _She winked at Spot, who smiled.

Race (On a Table):  
**_Look at me!_**

**_I'm da King of New York!_**

**_Suddenly, I'm respectable_**

**_Starin' right atcha_**

**_Lousy with statuh!_**

Jack: _**Nubbin' with all da muckety-mucks**_

_**I'm blowin' my dough and goin' deluxe!**_

Race: **_And dere I'll be_**  
**_Ain't I pretty?_**

Race/Jack: **_It's my city_**  
**_I'm da king of New York!_**

Boots:_** A corduroy suit with fitted knickers.**_

Les: _**A mezzanine seat to see the flickers.**_

Snipeshooter: **_Havana cigars dat cost a quarteh._**

David: _**An editor's desk for our star reporter!**_

Newsies: _**Tip your hat**_  
_**He's da King of New York!**_

Denton: _**How 'bout that?**_  
_**I'm the King of New York!**_

Newsies:_** In nothin' flat**_

_**He'll be coverin'**_

_**Brooklyn to Trenton**_

_**Ou'h man Denton**_

Kid Blink: _**Makin' a headline out of a hunch.**_

Denton: _**Protecting the weak**_

Race: _**And payin' for lunch**_

Denton: _**When I'm at bat**_  
_**Strong men crumble**_

Fossil: _**Proud yet humble**_

Denton/Race:_** I'm/He's da King of New York**_

Newsies: _**Ise gotta be eidder dead or dreaming '**_

_**Cuz look at dat pape with my face beamin'**_

_**Tomorrow dey may wrap fishes in it**_

_**But I was a star for one whole minute!**_

_**Startin' now I'm da King of New York!**_

Denton: _**Ain't you heard? I'm the King of New York!**_

Newsies: **_Holy cow!_**

**_It's a miracle Pulitzer's cryin'_**

**_Weasel? He's dyin'!_**

**_Flashpots are shootin' bright as da sun_**

**_I'm one hifalutin' sonuva gun!_**

**_Don't ask me how_**

**_Fortune found me_**

**_Fate just crowned me_**

**_Now I'm King of New York!_**

**_Look and see Once a piker Now a striker I'm the King of New York!_**

**_Victory! Front page story Guts and glory I'm the King of New York!_**

All the newsies cheered, than Jack gathered them around a table.

"So, let's have some ideas." Jack suggested.

"Well," David began. "We gotta show people where we stand"

"Yah, so we gotta stay in da papes." Cowboy agreed.

"My paper's the only one printing any strike news so far" Denton pointed out, shaking his head.

"So, we should do somethin' dats so big da odder papers'll feel stupid if dey try to ignore us." Jack told them.

"Like a rally. A newsie rally with all da kids from all over New York." Fossil announced. "It'll be da biggest, loudest, noisiest blow-out dis town's evah seen!"

Jack looked at her, with his mouth open and smiling wide. "Dats da best idea ise evah hoid!" Everyone agreed that it was a great idea.

"We'll send a message to the big boys." David spoke.

Race argued, "Geesh, Isa give 'em a message."

Fossil left to get some drinks, and then came back with a tray of Cokes,every newsie grabbed a glass.

"Dere's a lot of us, and we ain't goin' away." Jack announced. "We'll fight until damn Doomsday if it means we's get a fair shake."

"Hey, guys." David said. "To our man Denton."

"Ou'h man Denton!" The newsies echoed, raised their glasses of Coke, and drank the whole drink.


	10. Preparing

**If you look closely, this chapter has a bit of humor in it. Well not just this chapter but some of my other ones do too. And a shout out to all you authors out there that reviewed, it means a lot. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies...but oh if I could...**

* * *

"So what are we going to do for the rally?" Les asked everyone, they were busy walking back to the Lodging house.

"Well, we's gonna need money, but I don't know how we's gonna do dat?" Jack looked to David.

David thought about it for a second, than said, "Well to get money, we can't just sell papers anymore, we quit, so we need to do something else, Like a...like a..." He couldn't think of anything.

Suddenly, an idea popped right into Fossil's head. "Light Bulb!" All the newsies looked at her. "We's gonna make a fund."

"Are ya crazy!" Race looked at her. "No one ain't gonna be givin' us newsies money!"

"Oh come on brudder, it's a good idea, and we can create signs dat say stuff like; 'Give to da newsies strike fund.' Ya know stuff like dat. Or signes dat just say 'Strike!'" Fossil didn't know what was happening to her, but her brain was cranking its gears. "People will give us somethin', I just know dey will!"

All the newsies had stopped walking, listening to her speech. A few awkward moments went by. Finally, Mush opened his mouth. But what he said was nothing about the strike. "Goils talk too much!"

_Punch!_

"Ow!"

"Stop humiliatin' me Mush!" Fossil snapped, "Ideas just kept poppin' into me head, I couldn't stop it!"

"Okay okay sorry." Mush rubbed his left shoulder where Fossil had hit, pretty hard.

"I like yous idea Fossil." Jack spoke to her, she gave back a grateful smile. "Let's all go and buy some plain papes or wood, stuff dat we can paint or draw on."

"But we barely have any money Jacky-boy!" Spot told him, giving the Manhattan newsie a_ yous-an-idiot_ kind of look.

"Well let's see how much everyones got, and if what Fossil says really is gonna woik, dan we's gonna still have money." Pie Eater directed them.

"Isa got five cents."

"Thirteen cents."

"Twelve cents."

"Fourteen cents."

"Ten cents."

"Sixteen cents."

"Twenty cents."

"Six cents."

"Three cents."

All the newsies started calling out how much money they had left. Counting the change in their pockets.

"One dollar." Fossil held up one silver coin.

All the newsies stared at her. "What? Yous actin' like ya neveh seen one dollar." She said, raising an eyebrow.

Race gaped at her, "Where'd ya get all dat money?"

She shrugged, acting like it wasn't a big deal. "It's not just you brudder dat has talents to da card game Pokeh."

He rolled his eyes, "Yah i know dat, but how on earth can ya have one buck?"

This time, Fossil rolled her eyes at him. "I like to save up, not like all ya boys, walkin' around, seein' what you can all buy wit da money ya get from sellin' papes." She pointed out.

Some of the boys actually looked sort of offended, even Spot, who had his mouth open and staring at her.

"What?" Fossil asked.

Jack shook his head to clear his mind, "Okay, lets add up."

The newsies gave all their money to Fossil. "Why ya given me da money?"

Snitch rolled his eyes, than rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Because, yous da only one dat can count pretty good, and ya good at math, so dat's why."

"No Isa terrible at Math." Fossil protested, holding out the money like she was to afraid to get near it.

"Yes ya are," Jack rounded on her. "Now start countin'."

"Fine!" Fossil snapped back, glaring at Jack until she surrendered and started counting. Then added under her breath, "Dumb and glum, da boys can't even count."

"We hoid dat." Skittery glared.

"I know." She shot back.

Looking at the money, Fossil sat down on the sidewalk, then added up everything while the newsies all gathered around her, and she finally said, "So we's got one dollar and eighty seven cents."

David nodded, "So we can get a lot of paper, and two slices of wood."

"We's got wood at are lodging house for fire." Spot spoke up, "And den we'll brin'em back to da lodging house tonight." All the newsies nodded their approval. "Speed, Mouse, and Wood." Spot called out some of his birds. "Go to Brooklyn, grab da three slices of wood on da wood pile, den brin' it back to da Manhattan lodging house."

The birds sped off.

That night, after buying all the paper that they needed, the newsie went back to the lodging house. The only problem was, they didn't have paint brushes. So Jack, Fossil, Spot and Boots went out with some scissors to cut off hair from random horses they could find.

One time, Jack got caught and they all had to run for it. When they got to the door of the lodging house, they were all out of breath.

"We's gonna neveh do dat again, i felt bad for da horses." Fossil muttered, trying to calm her breathing. Spot put a hand on her shoulder, and she leaned into it.

Back in the lodging house, they attached the horse hair to some pieces of wood by tieing some string around it, then dipped them in black or dyed red and green ink. Painting the paper with words like; 'Newsie strike fund.'

Dutchy was painting a piece of wood on Kloppmans desk, with the word 'Strike' on it. "So, did I spell it right, Kloppman?"

"Very good, very good." Kloppman told him.

The newsies didn't notice when a man with a suit on entered the room.

"Excuse me. Can I help you?" Kloppman asked the man.

Fossil looked up from the sign she and Spot had been working on to find Snyder. "Oh no." She whispered.

"What is it?" Spot asked her, a worried look on his face.

She pointed out Snyder who was talking to Kloppman. Spot reached for his cane, but she stopped him by putting her hand on his arm. "Don't." She told him. "We ain't gonna be causin' trouble." Then a thought came to her mind. "Where's Cowboy?"

Spot looked around and then shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know?"

"You have a boy who calls himself Jack Kelly? I wish to see him." Snyder demanded.

"Jack Kelly? Never heard of him. Never heard of him." Kloppman answered in a cool like manner. "Any of you boys ever hear of a Jack Kelly?"

"Dat's an unusual name for dese parts." Specs spoke up.

Fossil suddenly saw Jack out of the corner of her eye, she clapped her hand on her mouth to stifle her gasp. But Swiftly stopped him in his tracks. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Race stood up. "Oh, ya mean Jack Kelly. Yah, he was here, but he put an egg in his shoe and beat it." the newsies laughed.

"I have reason to believe he's an escaped prisoner, possibly dangerous." Snyder ignored the newsies snickers and turned back to Kloppman. Not noticing Jack right behind him and pretending to look offended, then snuck back out of the room.

"Oh, dangerous?" The old man said. "I better look in my files. This way please."

Race and some other newsies held up some signs in front of Snyder, blocking his way.

"Give to da Newsies Strike fund, Misteh?" Fossil smirked as her brother worked his charm. Surprisingly, Snyder actually gave Race a coin. "Hey look, dat guy gave me a dollar coin!"

Fossil looked out the window to make sure Snyder was gone. "All clear, ya'll can relax now." The whole room sighed in relief.

Suddenly a knock at the door was heard. And the whole room tensed up again.

"Can ya let us in guys? Ouh hands are fallin' off from carryin' da wood." Mouse's voice could be heard from the door.

The whole room sighed in relief again. Snipeshooter opened the door. "Sorry," he apologized. "Snyder just came in here, lookin' for Jack."

"Yah we saw him walkin' out da door." Speed told them, looking worried and running his gaze around the room. "Is Cowboy okay?"

"Yah isa fine, just fine." Jack came in to the room and helped the little birds with the wood.

Spot whisperd in Fossil's ear. "Dat...was a close one."

"I know, had me scared dere for a bit." She replied, and the two kept on working on their signs,swapping smiles.


	11. Painful Memories

In Tibbys that morning for breakfast, Fossil was sitting with some girl newsies from Brooklyn. They were tough, Fossil had noticed, but they seemed to enjoy her company.

She had just walked into Tibbys that morning, looking around for a spot to sit in, when these girls waved her over. _Nice of them_ Fossil had thought. And had ate her food.

"So wha'da ya think of da rally tonight?" A girl with blue eyes and really long sand colored hair asked Fossil while she made herself comfortable.

"Well, Isa not dat sure, but Isa lookin' forward to it." Fossil told the girl.

"I think it's a poity dumb idea, Pulitzers gonna go nuts." A shoulder length ginger haired girl with freckles spoke. "And den...bam! Dats da end for us newsies!" She snapped her fingers, and then made a popping noise.

"Oh come of it Ginger, it's not gonna be dat bad. Yous gonna have fun, I just know it." A girl with chest length brown haired and almond eyes spoke. "Dere's neveh been a rally for newsies before, so it's gonna be poity excitin'!"

"Oh shut up Owl! Yous neveh know, it still is a dumb idea." Ginger snapped back.

Owl looked at the sandy haird girl. "Wha'da ya think Pearl?"

Pearl looked up from her food and sighed. She looked at Fossil for a moment. _God she looks so much like Spot!_ Fossil thought, but she didn't dare say it out loud.

Finally, Pearl took a sip from her drink, then set it back down, she spoke. "I think it's gonna be a very interestin' rally." She took another bite of food. "And, I think dat who eveh thought of da rally in da foist place, is very brilliant." She looked at Ginger who scowled. "No offense goil."

"Well...it was actually my idea to do da rally." Fossil shyly spoke up. It wasn't natural for her to be shy, but she hadn't really spent all of her life with a bunch of girls, so this was different. _Way different_, she added to her thoughts.

Fossil looked up to find Pearl beaming at her. "Well thanks for makin' da opportunity happen Fossil, Ise really excited." She spoke with curiosity in her voice.

"Yous look a lot like Spot!" Fossil immediately shut her mouth. "I-Isa sorry, it just slipped out."

But to her amazement, Pearl and her friends started laughing. She looked at them in confusion.

"Goil," Pearl finally told her. "Ya still have a lot ta know 'bout Spot Conlon." She flicked a piece of blond hair over her shoulder.

Fossil still looked confused, so Pearl told her. But it was something that she never expected.

"Ise his sistah."

Fossil was glad her mouth didn't fall open, though her lips parted slightly and she just sat there, speechless.

"I know I know," Pearl began. "How on dis earth can Spot Conlon have a sistah." She looked a bit sad, like this information bothered her. "He neveh talks 'bout me. Ise always livin' in his shadow. Nobody eveh knowin' who I is." An angry look appeared on her face, Pearl suddenly got up from her chair, and walked outside, slamming the door behind her.

"Hey don't slam the door!" A staff at Tibbys yelled out, but Pearl Conlon was already gone.

Fossil looked at Ginger and Owl to see if they were going to go after her, but they didn't, they just sat there, looking at each other awkwardly. "Ain't ya goin' to go afteh her?"

But the two girls shook their head. "It's better if ya just leave 'er alone." Ginger said, shaking her head.

"Why's she so upset?" Fossil asked, "She looked so angry, and sad."

Ginger and Owl exchanges a look, nodded their head, then turned back to her. "Foist," Owl started, she lowered her head, dropping her voice just above a whisper. "Ginger and I were already in Brooklyn before Spot and Pearl, but when dey arrived, dey were only six and five years old."

Fossil quickly did the math in her head, "So Pearl is fifteen?" _She's younger dan she looks_ she thought.

Ginger nodded, "Yah, half a year younger den Spot, back den, his name was Michael and her name was Evelyn. He was real protective of her, neveh let anyone near her. He was a real sweet boy, neveh fought, neveh disrespected anyone."

"But den," Owl took it from there. "Afteh 'bout a year or so, Spot began to change."

Fossil looked at her, "How?" She scowled, not really wanting to know what Owl would say, but she was curious.

"He started loosin' his temper, pickin' fights with da younger newsies. He was fast, little but swift." Owl continued, then looked at Ginger, who took over.

A weird look crossed Gingers face as she opened her mouth to speak. "Jagged, who was da leader back den, noticed dis, took him up as his new favorite. At da age of nine, Spot was bein' trained by him. He was a quick loiner, could hit precisely with da slingshot Jagged gave him. His full nickname from da newsies was Red Spots. One; because whoeveh he soaked, dere would always be some spots of blood on da ground, mostly from someone's nose. Two; he always and still is wearin' red suspenders."

"So whats dis gotta do with Pearl?" Fossil asked.

The Brooklyn newsies shrugged their shoulders. "No one really knows, only us Brookies know dat dey didn't hang out dat much no more, neveh really spoke face to face, but after Spot killed Jagged 'bout five years ago, Pearl became real sad, and every time she and Spot spoke to one anodder, she would get real angry." Owl spoke, worry lacing her voice, she broke off after that and nodded at Ginger to continue.

"Everyone said Spot would soak her someday, and dat he would win, but dat was always an underestimated view. 'Cause one mornin', 'bout three years ago, Pearl and Spot were yellin' at each odder—," Ginger suddenly broke off, her green eyes narrowed, looking out like she was revisiting a bad memory.

Owl continued what Ginger started saying. "Pearl started yellin', sayin' somethin' 'bout _a promise_. Spot yelled somethin' back 'bout being sorry, though Pearl told him dat it was no use. You could see her tremblin' from head to toe, like she was resistin' to soak him. But Spot...out of anger, lunged right at her..." Owl had broke off too, closing her eyes for a second, and breathed.

Fossil started getting scared, she had a feeling something terrible had happened. Boy had she never been more right.

Owl had opened her eyes again, staring out like Ginger, seeing a bad memory. "Pearl, neveh expected it. Spot had her for a few moments..." Owl closed her eyes again and shivered. "But through dose few moments, yous could hear a definite; _Snap! Crack!_ And a screech of pain!"

The Brooklyn newsie cringed away from the memory. "But suddenly, Pearls fist flew oudda nowhere, and she managed to punch his nose, it started drippin' _blood_...and she was on top a him, punchin' da shit oudda him!" Owl opened her eyes, looked at Fossil, took in a shaky breath, then let out a long sigh. "After dat, she got up offa him, held her _hand_ a bit funny like, and stomped up stairs to da bunks with out turnin' back once."

Fossil's eyes turned to slits. "And Spot? Wha'da he do?" She was angry, not at Pearl but Spot himself.

Ginger snapped out of her trance, "He tore of a sleeve from one of da newsies to cover up da blood from his nose, den swarmed out of da lodgin' house." She finished and shrugged her shoulders.

Fossil narrowed her eyes, looking at the door.

"I wouldn't Fossil." Owl warned her. "She doesn't like rememberin'."

But she just got up and went out the door to Tibbys, running along the street, looking into every street and sidewalk.

After a few minutes of looking, Fossil found her sitting in an alleyway with her back to the wall and her knees up to her chest. A slight wind was blowing, making the poor girl shiver.

'Pearl?" Fossil asked her cautiously. "Pearl." She said again, taking a step toward her.

Pearl looked up, glaring. "Leave me alone."

But Fossil ignored the retort and took a step closer. "What's da matta?" She sat down beside the poor girl, leaning her back against the wall.

"It's nothin' really, Isa just being ridicules, well Spot would say so." Pearl said, trying to laugh it off. But her eyes told Fossil that she wasn't happy.

"Don't try to push youself down." Fossil told her. She cautiously took her hand and set it on the girls shoulder.

At that gentle touch, tears started to slowly seep out of Pearls eyes, rolling down her cheek and landing on her shirt. She quickly wiped them away, trying to act like it was no big deal.

But Fossil saw right through it. "Look, Owl and Ginger told me 'bout what happened."

Pearls head snapped towards her, blue eyes glaring. Fossil recoiled, trying to scoot back, but Pearl grabbed her shoulder. "Look, dey think dey know what's goin' on, but dey don't, ain't nobody knows. Dey only saw what was happenin' on da outside," She paused, then continued. "But da inside hoits more."

"Wha'da ya mean on da inside?" Fossil asked, tipping her head to one side. "Was dere somethin' happenin' dat nobody knew 'bout?"

Pearl turned her head away, "Ise don't wanna talk 'bout it."

Fossil scowled, "Please Pearl, I want to know what's goin' on." She slowly started to run her fingers through the newsies long blond hair. _Please...tell me!_ She silently pleaded in her head.

"But I don't wanna mess up you and Spots relationship." Pearl shook her head.

Fossil raised an eyebrow, an amused look crossing her face. "Ha! Don't worry, we neveh made it official...yet." _Yet,_ she added to her thoughts again.

Pearl turned her head back to the Manhattan newsie, narrowing her eyes. "Can I trust ya?"

"Of cours, I ain't gonna tell nobody." Fossil nodded.

Pearl leaned toward her, "But if yous tell anybody, I mean anybody, well besides me brudder, I won't talk to ya eveh, again." Her tone became threatening.

"I swear, I won't tell...promise." Fossil swore, swallowing.

Pearl didn't know why she could tell Fossil, and her alone. _Dere's just somethin' 'bout her,_ she thought. _Somethin' 'bout her I like._ "Okay, no tellin' _besides Spot_." Fossil nodded.

"When we was only six and five, ouh mudder and fadder took us to dis park. Dey just sat on da grass, while Spot and I was playin' tag." Pearl told her, then lowered her voice. "But when we looked oveh to da spot where ouh parents sat, dey had disappeared."

Fossil looked at her, waiting. _ Ise gotta bad feelin'_ She told herself.

"Den," Pearl continued, "Den we hoid yellin' comin' from a few blocks away, we followed da noise to an empty alleyway." She shut her eyes, trying to block out da memory. "Ouh fadder and mudder were trapped against da wall," Pearl started crying, her voice cracked as she told Fossil what happened next. "With two guns pointin' at dem. And dey were shot dead. "Me and Spot saw da whole thing'"

"Oh Isa sorry! Dats terrible!" Fossil exclaimed, putting her arm around the girl. _God dis goils a mess!_

"So afteh dat, before we both knew it, we's at court. Toines out, ouh parents had debts ta pay, but dey couldn't, nore would either." Pearl explained, trying to stop crying, but more tears kept rolling down her face. "We got put inta an orphanage. It was terrible dere!"

"I bet it was." Fossil agreed, shivering at the idea of being put in an orphanage. gathered were always rumored about orphanages, how cruel the grown ups were and how they would beat the kids.

Pearl nodded her head. "After a week, Spot came up with da idea of escapin' when we got taken outside. Since ya know, we's only real young."

Fossil nodded.

"So we escaped," Pearl whispered, "Dey saw us and ran after us, den some newsies came along, asked us what was da problem, we told'em, so dey helped hide us."

Fossil nodded, knowing how helpful newsies were, even in Brooklyn.

Pearl continued talking, "After dat, dey took us in, introduced us to Jagged who was da leader. He was only twelve at da time."

"Isa can't pictuh dat." Fossil told her, Pearl laughed.

"Well he was back den, took pity on us, den brought us to da bunks." Pearl sighed, a smile crossing her face. 'We were tired, but after dat, we made an _oat_h."

"What was dat?" Fossil asked again. _An oath?_ She thought.

"It was an oath, sayin' dat no matta what happens, we would both be dere for each odder, won't eveh leave each odders side in dire times." Pearls smile disappeared to a snarl. "Isa pretty sure Ginger and Owl told you Jagged started trainin' Spot after 'bout a month right?"

Fossil nodded, not really expecting what was gonna happen, but the news disturbed her for sure.

With the snarl still in place, a growl escaped as Pearl said, "He completely ignored me. Like Isa neveh been part of him." She tried to keep the bundle of tears down her throat, but started crying, angry and frustrated tears rolling down her face. "He treated me with disgust, started actin' like da older smart ass newsies."

Fossil's eyes widened, _Oh gawd!_ She thought.

Pearl smiled a bit through her tears, "But dere was one time, where I thought da old Michael came back." She laughed, loving the memory. "Some boys was gonna hoit me, cause I accidently crashed into dem. But Spot came outta no where, soaked'em, and helped me up."

Fossil raised her eyebrows. _Dat's good._

"But after dat, he didn't say 'lot to me." Pearl told her, scowling. "Den 'bout five years ago, Spot killed Jagged, nobody knows why, but da two had a face off. And someone came up to help Jagged soak me brudder. His name was Snap. Toins out, da two boneheads were plannin' on killin' him. Spot had toind into a threat to Jagged. But Spot won da fight, accidently killin' Jagged, den kicked Snap out." Pearl smirked, her lip raising up to a snarl again. "I can't believe i even helped Spot soak him, i don't know why, sisterly instinct ise guessin'. But i should of neveh helped me brudder. Isa bettin' Spot loved bein' leader after dat."

"So what happened?" Fossil asked her, curious and puzzled. _God dis is a mess!_ She thought.

"Well, Isa thought he would treat me better, dat it was all an act to get to da top, but no..." Pearl said through gritted teeth. "He still treat me bad, we would argue with anger rushin' through ouh veins, every time we talked. Da newsies kept sayin' dat one day, I was gonna get soaked...I didn't believe 'em" Pearl laughed, "Boy was I wrong!"

Fossil recoiled, a bit frightened with the stuff Pearl was telling and acting like.

"One morn', 'bout three years ago, he was thirteen and I was twelve. I confronted him 'bout da _oath, sayin' dat he broke it!_" Pearl shook with anger, a growl rising from her throat. "He said sorry, but he didn't sound it, already done to much damage!" A look of none belief crossed her face.

Fossil knew what was coming next. She watched as Pearl closed her eyes shut.

"Den suddenly I found me self on da ground. I was shocked, I could barely move!" Pearl almost screamed out! The memory was hurting her to much.

"He had me for a minute, did somethin' to_ my hand_." Pearl held out her left hand, Fossil could see that it was all bandaged up with some cloth.

Pearl suddenly snarled out, looking at a memory that made the blood in her veins boil. "Den I mustered up all me courage, and I started beatin' him up so much, I gave him a bloody nose." She gave Fossil a sideways glance, an evil smile spreading on her face. "Isa neveh been more satisfied, hearin' da _crack_ and a yell from him. I had him under me, but someone pulled me offa him." She swore in frustration. "So I went to me room, escaped out da window, and went to da doctor."

"He inspected me hand." Pearl started crying again. "He said me brudder had done somethin' to it. Some of da fingers on me left hand was broken, he could fix it, but it was neveh gonna heal right anymore."

"But yous livin' through it, and ya _hand,_ nothin' looks wrong!" Fossil looked at Peals hand, confused.

Pearl shook her head, "Nah ya don't understand, eveh since I was little, I had piano lessons, and when I was with da newsies, I kept teachin' meself." She smiled again. "I would play music for dem when dey wanted it, Jagged told me it was always great company to have. I was real great at it too." She was silent for a sec, lost in her memory, smiling.

Then Pearl started sobbing, actually sobbing. "But da doctor told me I could n-neveh p-play da piano a-anymore..."

Fossil gasped, "Oh god, isa so sorry Pearl." She wanted to comfort her, but she didnt know how, so she scooted closer and hugged her, while stroking the girls sand blond hair.

Pearl buried her head into the Manhattan newsies shoulder, soaking her shirt. "Ise t-thought, me life...was o-oveh!" Pearl sobbed out.

Fossil pat her back and mad some shushing noises, "It's gonna be okay, Isa will help ya through it, I promise." She told her fiercely. Pearl just nodded her head in agreement, and the two just sat there in the alley way.


	12. A Different Side 1

**Sorry for not updating soon, school came in the way, then i had writers block, but i'll try to keep updating as much as possible, i promise.**

**GAhhhh! Still had Writers block!**

**Remember **_Italic means thinking.__**  
**_

_So this is to calm down some drama, a moment between **Fossil and her Brother**_

* * *

It was seven o-clock p.m. while Fossil was sitting on her bunk bed, she was reading a book she stole from a women who had her back to it, the title was 'Treasure Island'.

She sighed, the rest of the day had been exhausting. After Pearl was done crying, they had walked back to Tibby's, sat down, and all four girls started eating their food silently, no one mentioning a word.

In her head, she was trying her best to try to process what she had just heard. _Why had Spot never told anyone 'bout Pearl? Did he hold a grudge? Does he really just hate...no...loath her dat much dat now dat he can't stand to look back on da memories, can'__t even look at her, speak to her, touch her? Or was dere somethin' else goin' on?_

Fossil had no idea.

In the afternoon, the four girls had walked back to the Manhattan newsies Lodging House to settle down. But along the way, Race and Snitch had gone along with them, they ended up watching some races at Sheepheads, then went to go hang out at a park. They played games with the little kids. When the kids parents weren't looking, they splashed the kids and each other with some water from a fountain, getting each other completely soaked, and went shopping to see if they could find anything they would like to wear for the rally. Snitch and Race just went to the lodging house because obviously, they didn't want to stand around waiting for the girls to stop shopping.

Ginger already found a skirt. It was nice dark plain blue fabric, coming in two layers with the front pinned up to the side. The back of the skirt reached down to her ankles.

"Hey Fossil!"

She broke out of her thoughts, but ignored the call. Glancing at the door annoyingly then back to her book.

"Fossil!" Now the person was at the bottom of the stairs.

She sighed. There was no way out. But she really didn't want to deal with all the boys right now, for she already had enough drama for the night.

Thinking quickly, she set the book down by her pillow, snuggled under the sheets and closed her eyes. Pretending she was asleep. Though she really was tired.

"Charlotte Bann Higgins! Come one! We's gonna start a game with da Brooklyn boys. Get down here!"

Race threw open the door to the bunks, only to find his sister sound asleep. "Oh..."

He walked over to his bed, that was right under her's, fixed his pillow to fluff it up a bit. Then silently took a few steps up the ladder to appear right by Fossil's head. He looked at her for a few seconds, then reached out to take her hat off, put it on the bed post, then untied her braid, letting the hair fan out around her shoulders.

Race looked at his twin for a minute. He noticed how much she had grown, how she looked older and even more beautiful. The funny thing was, he had always seen her more as a little sister. She had always been younger to him, even though he knew he was about thirty minutes older, and that he was a bit taller than her, right in the moment, he saw her as an equal, girl or not. His twin, his equal, his sister.

He gently brushed a few pieces of hair that fell in her face, then rest his hand on her shoulder. Looking at her for a moment then kissed her forehead. "Night Fossil. Sleep tight." Then climbed down the latter, back to the hallway, closing the door gently behind him. But before the door snapped into place, he swore he heard a small "Night brother." from the room.


End file.
